


This Isn't a Noir Film

by sidehoryuuzaki



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms
Genre: Dumbs being boys, Fluff, Humor, L is a useless bisexual, Light Angst, Los Angeles tbh, M/M, Mafia shenanigans, boys being dumb, eventually explicit, it deserves its own tag, overuse of sarcasm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2019-09-07 15:31:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 60,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16856605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidehoryuuzaki/pseuds/sidehoryuuzaki
Summary: Moving to Los Angeles was not Light's best idea. It's blazing hot, always on fire, the traffic is the worst, and the mafia is acting up all over again. When Rod Ross is found not guilty yet again on murder charges and the murders start up again, Light joins a taskforce with decidedly eccentric people who could all only be described as complete and utter pricks. He should be more worried about what's happening to the city he lives in and the people he's sworn to serve and protect, but honestly, he's a bit more concerned at how well he fits in with these weirdos...





	1. On Matsuda, Los Angeles, and Cars

**Author's Note:**

> Me? Writing something multi-chaptered? It's more likely than you think.
> 
> I think this fandom needs more humor, especially with how the world is going these days, and I came to the realization that that was the thing I could contribute to this fandom. Hopefully someone finds this funny or at the least somewhat entertaining... Anyways, you can find me over on Tumblr (side-ho-ryuuzaki) or on Twitter (@sidehoryuuzaki). Let's hope I actually maintain a good writing schedule.

Waking up covered in sweat and sticking to the bottom sheet of the bed was never the most fun experience, but disturbingly common for the city he lived in. He blinked rapidly, unsure why he woke up at the god awful hour of six in the morning when he didn’t need to be up until seven, but he supposed it had something to do with the music from upstairs blaring through his ceiling from where he thought he remembered some college students live. Somewhere nearby, a bit closer, he could also blame the phone buzzing against his nightstand, and he swore that he’d likely kill whoever it was.

“...Hello?”

“Light!” Matsuda screeched. Light groaned and held the tiny device away from his ear. “Thank god you’re awake!”

“...Yeah, sure, I guess I am.”

“Awesome!” Matsuda yelled. “Hey, hey, can you give me a ride to work? My car tire was all deflated when I came outside this morning.”

Light groaned, the sweet siren call of his bed loud in his ears. “Matsuda, with traffic it’s going to take me like an hour to get there. Get a Lyft.”

“I hate Lyft!” Light heard some shuffling before he heard a sigh. “Please? I’ll buy you some Starbucks?”

Light sighed. Living in Los Angeles had its perks, like coffee on every corner and donut shops hidden in every random nook of the city, but really he could do without the fact that it took an hour and a half to go somewhere that should’ve taken twenty minutes. He was pretty sure he’d never hated a transport system as much as he hated the Metro, though, so he’d had to bear with the chaos that was LA urban planning. He didn’t live in the heart of it himself, but Matsuda did, and Light fucking hated him for it.

“Seriously?” Light muttered. “I can get coffee myself. Get a Lyft.”

“Wow, so you don’t have my back? Rude!”

If it were possible to punch someone through a phone, he would’ve. “Considering I saved you from being fired, that’s ironic.”

“That was _one_ time,” Matsuda sniffed. “Whatever. I’ll see if someone else will give me a ride since someone is being an ass.”

“I live near a fire evac zone,” Light grumbled. “The traffic is terrible over here. We’d both be late to work.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Light considered the pros and cons of punching his partner when he next saw him, his politeness being the only thing stopping him from deciding to. “Maybe I could get Gevanni to drive me.”

“You didn’t even ask him first?” Light poured himself a large helping of coffee as soon as the pot was ready. He heard Matsuda chuckle nervously. “He lives like two blocks from you.”

“Uhh… You might have been the first person I called…”

“Bye, Matsuda.” The phone made a satisfying end call noise, and Light felt the world get a tiny bit lighter, if only for a brief moment, before he knocked his cup off the counter with his elbow and watched it shatter all over the ground.

He’d moved not long ago, when he finished college and decided, for some dumbass reason, that he wanted to see the outside world. His mother and father had both been so proud and happy that he wanted to explore, and well, he wished they had warned him that it’d be like this.

“Fucking hell,” he grumbled. “Shit. Good going, Yagami.”

His rent, to start with, was too fucking high. He didn’t want a roommate, and he worked full time, but damn if he wasn’t still just barely getting by most days. A detective’s salary in LA wasn’t as much as Light had hoped, and even just getting gas was a hassle. He wasn’t sure who decided that everyone needed a car to go anywhere, too, but he wanted to have a few words with them. Combine all of this with a friend like Matsuda, who had an expensive taste in bars and clubs, and it was a recipe for disaster.

Oh, and the heat, he thought quietly as another bead of sweat ran down his neck as he picked up cup pieces. Wasn’t it supposed to be fall already?

He spent the next thirty minutes after that almost entirely zoned out in front of his television, his mind not its usual steel trap. He was not a morning person by any means, never had been, but today was even worse than usual. Maybe it was the way his coffee was settling wrongly in his stomach, but he had a bad feeling about the day.

~~

A small wave was all it took to get the girl at the front desk blushing, and Light just hoped she didn’t ask for his number again before the end of the day. His hopes were entirely dashed as he got to his desk and saw she’d instead written her number for him on a sticky-note, with the words, “Call me!!” scribbled on it.

This was, unfortunately, not an unusual occurrence.

Last week had been the girl he’d arrested for attempted robbery. The week before that had been the guy he’d had to work with from a precinct over. The week before that had been that prosecutor.

Oh, that prosecutor had been persistent.

With a small shudder, he tossed the note in the trash and sat down at his desk, his attention instead on the new file left on top. This, too, was a common occurrence as Light had the best record of anyone in the precinct, perhaps the entire city, and he was constantly being given things from other jurisdictions. He was the best, simply put, and it would’ve been great if it didn’t also mean all of his supervisors immediately hated him.

He flipped open the top cover and mentally died inside as he saw the words “mafia” and “murder” immediately together. He fucking hated gang cases.

“Light! I made it to work today!” Matsuda announced as he flopped himself across from Light. “No thanks to you!”

“But who was it that suggested you call Gevanni?” he challenged as he turned back to his file. “So really, I think you owe me one.”

“What? No way,” Matsuda groaned. “...Do I?”

“Go get me a coffee,” Light said back with a nod, and Matsuda, with all the grace of an idiot, fumbled up and into the staff room. He looked back down and closed his eyes in frustration as Matsuda wandered back in with coffee. “Rod Ross is out again. Apparently he was found not guilty, and there’s more mafia murders.”

“Seriously?” Matsuda sighed. “Can that dude ever just stay in prison?”

“His network’s too big.” Light took an appreciative sip of coffee before his face contorted. “How much sugar did you add to this?”

“Oh, shit, that was my cup,” Matsuda reached out and switched the two, and Light glared at him. “Did they finally hand off the task to you?”

“Yeah, I have to work some taskforce. Guess I won’t be back in the precinct for a bit.”

“At least you don’t have to be here,” Matsuda muttered as he looked at his own desk. “There’s another missing grandma.” Light saw the idea form in Matsuda’s head before he said anything, the little lightbulb dim but on.

“Oh, dear God, no.”

“Please?” Matsuda begged. “Take me with you, c’mon, you know you’ve got sway here. I don’t wanna spend my time here looking for... Roberta Daniels. I wanna work a mafia case!”

“Goddamnit,” Light groaned. “What happened to serving the people?”

“I’ll get you coffee everyday! I’ll wash your car! I’ll get you donuts!”

“I don’t even like donuts,” he said back. “And what exactly would you even bring to the case, hmm? Why should I want to bring you?”

Matsuda deflated like a balloon, and Light felt a victory until the idiot smiled. Horror and dread built up in Light as Matsuda prepared some clear trump card, and there was that bad feeling from that morning.

“I’ll comfort all the grieving family members and you won’t have to do a thing but ask questions.”

Fuck. Fucking shit. Fucking goddamn fuck. Matsuda had him. Matsuda had him and he knew that Matsuda knew how much Light fucking hated having to be sympathetic and empathetic. Frustration built up in him like a goddamn bathtub being filled with water, except the bathtub was immediately being filled by a fucking waterfall.

“...I hate you.”

“That’s my boy!” Matsuda crowed. “Go, go. Go ask.”

Light turned his computer on and died for the second time as Matsuda started blabbering excitedly near him. He was functioning but unseeing as he wrote the bland email and sent it to the head of the taskforce.

~~

“Just wear your fucking glasses.”

It was the new mantra of the taskforce as of late, and Matt was starting to lose his goddamn mind. He pushed up the computer glasses on his nose in silent protest as he watched the absolutely dumb scene unfold about three feet in front of his gear.

“No. I hate them. They’re cumbersome.”

“You can’t see the screen for shit anymore. You’re fucking thirty-two, wear your glasses like an adult.”

“As an adult, I can choose to not wear them.”

“They’re just fucking reading glasses!”

Matt rolled his eyes as he fiddled a bit more on his phone, and he hoped someday his eyes wouldn’t leave their sockets from how much he’d been rolling them. Was that even possible? He kind of hoped it was, and he made a mental note to look it up later.

“Jesus Christ, L, you’re squinting at the fucking thing!”

“And that’s my prerogative.”

“Are you serious?” Mello groaned as he continued to wave the small, black frames in L’s face. “The eye doctor said-”

“I heard. I was there. I don’t want them, thanks.”

“Matt,” Mello begged, and Matt sighed as he was dragged into this bullshit all over again. Lucky Near escaped before all this crap.

“Leave me out of this,” he sighed. “I really don’t care, guys.”

Taskforce headquarters could only be described as a mess. A mess of equipment, a mess of files, and a mess of hair made up the space as L sat like a child and refused to wear his glasses like a child. Years of staring at computers had killed his eyesight, and Matt had told him that would happen if he didn’t wear proper eyewear, but it was too late by then.

“Gee, thanks, Matt,” Mello grumbled as L smiled victoriously. “You’re a big help.”

“The biggest,” Matt said back with a salute. “Computers are all almost set up by the way.”

“Thank you,” L said blandly, before turning back to Mello. “Matt is being useful instead of annoying, like you. Be more like him, okay?”

Matt watched Mello seethe, and he nearly rolled his eyes again before he remembered that there was a possibility his eyes could fall out. He refrained but just barely as Mello slumped down into a chair in the corner of the room, clearly intent on sulking. It would’ve been more effective if Mello wasn’t wearing fucking leather when it was ninety degrees outside.

“Sulking is not useful, Mello,” L called out, and Matt shook his head as he watched the Mello Volcano come closer to erupting. All they needed for that to happen was for Near to return, and it was a guarantee.

Matt wanted to scream when Near walked in with his arms full of snacks.

“Took you long enough, fucker!” Mello barked as Near dropped them all onto the nearest available surface. “Fuck, feel like taking a tour of the city?”

“The nearest place was closed,” Near said back blankly as he dug out a packet of oreos for himself. “I had to go further away.”

“You’re being the most useless person here!” Mello declared, and Matt prepared for the worst when he saw that asshole glint in L’s eyes.

“Actually, Mello, he’s still being more useful than you,” L announced.

Mount Mello erupted in a blaze of glory as Mello kicked over a table and stormed out into the hallway, and Matt finally did roll his eyes again as he saw how amused L was while Near just looked uninterested. He knew he’d have to go retrieve Mello soon, knew that these two wouldn’t, and Matt wanted to hit the others.

“Was that necessary?” Near asked as he started picking up the downed table.

“I’m sure Mello believes it was,” L responded.

Matt was grateful when Watari walked in, and L, for once, did not say something rude. Watari instead calmly put two more files on L’s desk, and stood waiting as L quickly read through their contents.

“You’re joking,” L said when he was finished. “No.”

“Yes,” Watari said back, “Watch your tone.”

“Sorry.” There was a moment as L seemed to gather his words, trying to determine if they were rude or not. “We don’t need them…?” Matt snorted at the way L’s voice lilted up at the end, clearly worried it was still too rude.

“They’ve already been invited,” Watari stated back. “You’re required to work with someone from the area. This was who they offered. It’s best to stay on good terms with the LAPD, L.”

“I agree,” he said quickly. “But only one of them is even vaguely qualified. The other is… Not.”

“I can apply pressure to get rid of the other candidate, then,” Watari offered. “Detective Matsuda is not their top choice either.”

“Oh, no, I meant Yagami.”

“Pardon?”

“He’s too young,” L explained. “Too new. He likely doesn’t have a lot of experience with gang related cases, and he’ll likely only get in the way. While this Matsuda isn’t ideal either, considering, he at least has some field work, I bet.”

There was a pause before Watari leaned forward and turned the page of what Matt assumed to be Yagami’s file. There was another, even longer pause where L continued to stare, and his eyebrows drew together. There was a heavy silence that suddenly passed between the other people in the room as L started furiously turning pages.

“On second thought,” L said, “perhaps Yagami will do.”

“I see,” Watari chuckled. “I will see about getting them here within the next week. Do remember to shred those this time; we were nearly reprimanded for having confidential files the last time you didn’t.”

Watari exited as grandly as he’d appeared, and L sighed as he slouched a bit more once again. He continued to flip through the file in his hands, and Matt noticed Near was also watching him curiously.

“Go get Mello,” L suddenly said. “We have to clean up for company.”


	2. Rat's Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light's pretty sure this is going to be the future sight of his murder, but hey, maybe Matsuda will die first and he could escape. These weirdos need a serious intervention, but honestly Light's a bit too weirded out to be the one to do it. Maybe some other time, he tells himself. Or, more likely, never.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God do I love writing. Seriously, where else can I make L the useless bisexual he is? This chapter is a little bit shorter, but Chapter 3 should be a bit longer to make up for it. If y'all ever wanna bother me about writing or just wanna scream over Death Note, you can find me on Tumblr (side-ho-ryuuzaki) and Twitter (@sidehoryuuzaki). Yeah, I'm a shameless self-promoter. It's hopefully an endearing quirk.

Light groaned as he inched further, his speed a beautifully painful six miles per hour on the 405. Matsuda was saying something about someone else, maybe about who was having sex together in the precinct, maybe about what happened on one of the many cop shows Matsuda watched, and Light was completely not there in that stuffy car. Physically, he was there and listening, but mentally, he was out and about in better air conditioning. Eventually, they’d make it to the exit Light could even physically see from their position, but it’d already taken them about twenty minutes to go maybe four miles.

“So I asked Sasha who asked Marcos who knows her to see if she was interested in him,” Matsuda continued. “And she didn’t give a straight answer but it didn’t seem like a no.”

“And why do I care again?” Light asked as they inched forward again. The car in front of them had a Reagan bumper sticker, the thing was so old, and Light physically restrained himself from hitting the rear bumper. “I don’t even know her.”

“She knows _you_ ,” Matsuda said back. Light rolled his eyes at the familiar subject. “And you should care because your dating pool is dwindling, Light! ‘Cause let’s be real, you’d never date someone who didn’t share the same job.”

“Not this again,” Light begged, but Matsuda was a freight train and Light’s pleas were an ant.

The slow torture of traffic must have been getting to him.

“You haven’t dated anyone in the entire time I’ve known you!”

“Right, and what was Misa then? A friend?”

“Oh, please, everyone knew you weren’t that into her,” Matsuda huffed. “Or, well, I knew. She was too cutesy for you. You’re more into the serious, older vixen type.”

“I’m into _what_ now?”

“You were that kid who had a crush on the school librarian weren’t you?” Matsuda said with a nod. Light prayed for death as he moved a few more inches closer to his target. “Or like a teacher. Or the principal.”

“I wasn’t,” Light defended for no good reason.He knew it would only make Matsuda do it more. “Oddly enough, I liked other classmates who were my age.”

“Were you into your friends’ moms?”

“Do not make me kick you out of my car, Matsuda.”

“Don’t shoot the messenger!” Light’s gun hung heavily from his shoulders, and oh boy, he was being fucking tested that day. “I’m just saying.”

“Please stay out of my personal life,” Light sighed out. A few more feet and he could exit and he’d be a step closer to ending this idiotic conversation. Matsuda had an obsession with it as of late, for no fucking reason, and one day, he’d be hit for it.

“Dude, a model dated you. There was no way I was staying out of it.”

“Oh, so now we did actually date?” Light muttered as he sat in the long stretch of essentially parked cars. “So you’re a liar?”

“Notice I said she dated you, not the other way around,” Matsuda said. “You seemed along for the ride.”

A gap opened up, and Light took off down the off-ramp. Siri chimed in that he needed to turn left, cutting off whatever dumb thing was about to come out of Matsuda’s mouth. They were heading to some warehouse, apparently, and Light wondered at how cliche it was.

Light got ten blissful minutes of silence as they pulled up to where Siri said they needed to be. He was almost overjoyed that Matsuda was in fact capable of shutting the fuck up for so long, but somewhere in his stomach, nerves and displeasure arose in him.

“This is it?” Matsuda asked wearily. The vaguely red colored building glared back at them, and Light grudgingly got out of the air conditioned car and stepped out into the sun. It looked ready to collapse at any given moment, and Light sighed.

“Yes, this is the address,” Light confirmed. “How nice.”

They walked towards the only door and both jumped when an elderly man opened it before they knocked. All three stared at each other for a moment in shock before the man at the door smiled.

“Right this way,” the man said to them. A feeling passed through Light that made him wonder if this were some elaborate murder scheme, but against his better judgment, he followed the man inside.

The inside of the building was in about the same shape as the outside, which is to say it was horrible and possibly even despicable. There were true and deep concerns that this had actually passed any safety codes or even health codes, and as Light watched a rat run along the wall, he severely doubted it. He grimaced as they turned a corner and he saw what might have been red paint or really anything else.

“...I’m Matsuda,” Matsuda said uselessly as they walked down the hall.

Light realized, with great clarity, that Matsuda would be the first to die in a horror movie.

“Ah, I know,” the man said warmly. “Feel free to call me Watari.”

“Oh.” Matsuda fumbled a bit dumbly, and Light rolled his eyes. “Uh, how did you all find this place?”

“It was available at the time.”

Awkward silence overtook the three as they approached another door. Watari took out some keys and unlocked it before gesturing for them to go in, a sweep of his arm. Light felt uneasiness at not having control over the exit route, but he reluctantly followed Matsuda in.

Why the fuck was that guy wearing leather.

“Oh, you’re here,” the weird one in the center of the room said. Light would’ve been disturbed by the rat’s nest of black hair and ill-fitting clothes if he weren’t still processing the leather outfit paired with a _fucking rosary_. “You’re late.”

“Uh, well, I mean,” Matsuda continued to fumble, and Light finally tore himself away to look at the next one, who was wearing what appeared to be actual fucking pajamas. Dear fucking lord, what the fuck.

“No matter. You’ll just have less time to get yourselves acquainted with everything,” Rat’s Nest cut in. “Find a seat.”

Light looked to him, finally, and dear god. What had he fallen into? Did this man care about his spine at all? Did he fall into fucking wonderland? His brain felt like it was working overtime to keep up with all of the new information and visual stimuli, the gears grinding together a bit and steam coming out.

“Are you squinting at your computer?” Light asked Rat’s Nest before he could stop himself.

“L doesn’t like his glasses,” Escaped Convict said from another corner. “It’s been a whole thing this week.”

“Oh, so your name is L!” Matsuda piped up. “Well, I’m Matsuda, and this is Light!”

“Wear your glasses,” Light jumped back in. “You’re just ruining your eyesight.”

“Ah, I have to decline,” L mumbled as he continued to squint. “You may have heard, but I dislike them.”

Annoyance flashed through Light instantaneously, the dismissive tone making him snap out of being so distracted. He let a moment pass in silence as he glared at the back of L’s head. He’d always been a bit spiteful, and that spitefulness reared its head.

“I wasn’t asking,” Light calmly warned.

Apparently, it was enough to catch L’s attention, and he turned to look at them for the first time since they arrived. His mouth was open to respond before he suddenly stopped, his fucking huge eyes widening a bit more. There was a weird pause before he seemed to try again.

“...Yagami, yes?” L asked, and Light sighed.

“Obviously. You may have heard, but this one is Matsuda.” L’s mouth twitched slightly upwards, turning his face into something Light was sure was from a horror movie. What an awful expression.

“I’m L,” L introduced. “That’s Near, Matt, and Mello.” He pointed to each one, and to Light’s horror, he discovered that Mello also was eating a chocolate bar like it was a sandwich, instead of breaking off the individual bits along the lines.

“Fantastic,” Light blandly returned. He twitched to break the bar for Mello, but he knew it would do nothing. Somehow, he knew that none of these people would care if he tried to do anything, and the thought almost immediately depressed him. He desperately wanted to go home.

“It’s awesome to meet you all!” Matsuda said as he started walking to each one and shaking their hands. Near especially looked a bit disturbed by Matsuda’s enthusiasm. “I look forward to working with you!”

“Won’t you introduce yourself, too?” L asked Light. There was a glint to his eyes that made Light uneasy and angry, and he smiled politely back, deciding to return to something worse than anger.

“I’m Yagami,” he said back in his best imitation of Matsuda. L visibly looked sick from the sugary sweet tone. “It’s quite nice to meet you, detectives.”

~~

Why had no one warned him? Why had he had to come into this completely blind and not have known to prepare himself for what was to come? He’d been caught completely off guard!

Light Yagami was fucking _gorgeous_.

A bit of an asshole, but easy on the eyes nonetheless. Hopefully, the personality wasn’t too terrible to work with, and maybe L would consider it, but thus far the guy was fucking smoking. L actually had to take a moment when they met to recover from it.

It was probably the shirt, L thought. It was well-fitted.

Yagami tossed soft locks of hair to the side and looked around the room in clear contempt for what he saw. He hid it well, but not well enough to hide. Amber eyes looked back to him eventually, and the owner jumped slightly to find L staring at him.

“Can I help you?” Yagami asked.

“You don’t like it here, do you?”

The slightest widening of eyes, the best faked hurt L had ever seen, and a hand waving away such thoughts made L a little worried about that personality part. “What? Of course not, L. I was just thinking that this place might need a Swiffer, though.”

“You think we’re odd,” L continued, and oh, was that annoyance? “Why?”

“I said no such thing,” Yagami sighed. “Does this really take priority over me catching up on the case?”

“No, I guess not.”

“Then I’ll get back to it.” He was given a polite smile before Yagami turned away again, and L tilted his head. How not fun.

“You haven’t already finished?” Yagami twitched. “You’ve already had an hour.”

“This is fairly dense,” he defended. “It’s going to take me some more time. And I’m sure Matsuda will likely need longer than I will.”

“He knows me too well,” Matsuda chipped in.

Yagami looked all too polite again, and L wondered where the biting young man from when they’d first entered went. He figured, therefore, that he would poke and prod until he found him once more, as was L’s go-to way to deal with not being given what he wanted.

“It only took me an hour and a half to be caught up,” L told them calmly. “I suppose you’re both just slow.”

Matt sighed somewhere off to the side as Yagami looked ready to burst. L could feel the small smile threatening to break through, amusement overtaking him.

“I assure you, I’m a rather fast reader,” Yagami pushed back. “This is just a lot.”

“I think you’re just trying to defend yourself, since you’re not as fast as I am.”

“And I’m just slow!” Matsuda added in helpfully. “Don’t worry, I’ll be taking a while!:

Oh, look at him. So angry but trying to hide it. L was quickly coming to the conclusion that this man was just stunningly beautiful no matter what he did. He suspected Yagami must be popular with all genders, despite his temperament.

“Thanks,” Yagami ground out. “You’re a big help, Matsuda.”

“Perhaps you’ll need to take the files home?” L nudged further. “Although I would rather you didn’t. These are sensitive documents, and I don’t think they should leave this warehouse.”

There was a long, long pause, and L watched Yagami finally give in and glare at him.

Jesus Christ, the man was attractive.

“Give me twenty minutes,” Yagami sneered. “After all, you did it in an hour and a half, yes?”

Shock registered through L, slowly bubbling up his stomach. Interest spiked in him once more, the thrill of challenge eating away at the edges of his mind and L couldn’t help the smile. Yagami seemed to instinctively pull back a bit, and huh, what did L’s smile even look like? The effect was fantastic.

“Twenty minutes,” L agreed. “Or I win.”

How childish he was being. Watari would have surely scolded him for it, if he were here, but L didn’t care. Watching the way Yagami’s eyes narrowed angrily was far too much fun, and Matsuda continued to look between the two for another couple of moments in confusion.

“Do… Do I only have twenty minutes, too?” Matsuda asked fearfully.

Matsuda sighed in relief when L shook his head.


	3. Fashion and Comfort Are Mutually Exclusive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rod Ross. Local Menace. Local dick. Local pain in Light's ass. Actually, the more local pain in Light's ass is the idiot he has to work with, and how in the hell does L live like this? What possessed him to be this way? He's a mess, a complete and utter mess, and Light is actually dumbfounded by it. Meanwhile, L thinks Light's personality is highly unfortunate, and that fashion is completely unnecessary in the grand scheme of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be busy on my usual day for posting, so I'm posting a little early! I might do the same next week since it's so close to Christmas, and I'll be travelling for a bit. Don't worry, I'll make sure to post chapter four and chapter five on time or early! I really want to make sure I keep to my schedule so y'all can read about these two morons (aren't they supposed to be geniuses?). That's why this week is a bit early, and next week might be too, but also why it's going up at a weird time. Enjoy the chapter!

Rod Ross had been a local menace for most of his life. His first arrest was for theft at age twelve, and his second was at thirteen for assault. In a never-ending cycle of bad decisions, Ross had slid further and further down the rabbit hole during his life until he got taken in by the local mafia. The pages detailing his various murder charges, assault and battery charges, and robbery charges were a big long build up to him eventually reaching the upper echelons, and suddenly no other charges ever fucking stuck.

Light sighed as he closed the file and mulled it all over, his chin in his hand as he leaned against the table. Yet again, Ross escaped murder charges for killing two officers, but the more concerning fact had been that he’d been seen with a man who worked a few levels down from the city’s mayor.

“Oh, are you finished?” L said to his right, and Light’s mental bubble popped. “Stunning. It only took you another seventeen minutes.”

“Why would he be in talks with anyone from the mayor’s office?” Light mumbled as he tried to return to his mental space. “Unless, of course, the mayor is corrupt.”

“We’ve suspected the mayor of working with the mafia for quite some time now,” L said back bluntly.

“Explains why no charges ever stick,” Light sighed. “That and paying off jurors.”

“We need to be able to prove it, however.” L spun his chair around in circles, and Light grimaced at its creaking. “This taskforce is here to prove the connection between Rod Ross and several higher up government officials.”

“Oh, joy.”

“They’ve been very careful,” L said. “But an ex-secretary came forward about having seen the mayor have meetings with Ross’s men. We were tasked with this case almost immediately after that.”

“We, as in…?”

“FBI,” L stated bluntly. “I’m fairly certain as a punishment, too.”

Light stared for a moment as he tried to process that this guy outrageously outranked him. This creepy, weird, and annoying man was fucking _FBI_?

“Dear God,” Light sputtered. “Excuse me?”

“Well, it was a misunderstanding.” L rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously, his fingers getting caught in tangles that made Light want to sob. “It’s not my fault I’m better at my job than our superior is.”

“Are all of you FBI?” Light continued on, and L sighed. “Don’t they have an age restriction?”

“We’re all exceptional,” L said as if it explained everything. Light boggled before L continued. “Watari was dragged into all of this, of course. He would never be punished so horrifically.”

“You didn’t answer my question?”

“Roger likes Watari far too much to ever do such a thing.” Light continued to sputter several sentences back, his brain not quite catching up. “But he hates Mello just enough to have him here. Right, Mello?”

“Whatever, Roger’s a bitch,” Mello responded. “And he’s just mad Matt and I hacked his shitty computer.”

“What on _Earth_ ,” Light muttered.

“Anyways,” L cut back in. “It’s in the government’s best interest to have the connection discovered and broken. Unfortunately, we couldn’t move forward much with only the secretary’s testimony, and we needed more evidence.”

Even as Light’s mind reeled, he felt a bit better with a clear purpose. One thing he had to get used to as an officer was finding out what authorities were connected to what terrible things, and it was something he hated. The world needed a decent clean up, and Light tried to do his part.

“And the murders for sure have something to do with this connection,” Light said aloud. “You think Ross is killing people for the mayor, specifically. Like a quid pro quo.”

“...Yes, I do.” L seemed slightly hesitant suddenly. Light narrowed his eyes. “You’re observant, Yagami.”

“It’s my job,” he responded. L looked down, almost oddly bashfully, and Light immediately tossed out the thought from his mind. There was no way in hell the man could ever feel shame, much less be shy. “Isn’t that why I’m here?”

Quietly, L smiled. For once, it wasn’t horrible.

“Yes,” he said back. “I suppose so.”

~~

The car was warm even with the air conditioning on full blast. L was sweating horrifically, and he hated that he actually gave a shit. He hated that he felt even vaguely self-conscious, but he supposed there was nothing that could be done.

Yagami stared out the window almost as if he wished he didn’t have to be there, and L figured it was probably his fault.

From what L could tell i the time they’d known one another since the first day, Yagami was disturbingly intelligent and highly prone to paradoxes of the most puzzling nature. This all boiled down to Yagami being interesting, confounding.

And a little hot.

Which is why it really was unfortunate that Yagami had such a personality problem, though. Intelligence and good looks do not make up for being arrogant and egotistical, and L found not much to be redeeming about him. He thought very highly of himself, had a childish sense of pride, and was vain. L had seen him adjusting his hair in multiple mirrors, and it made L agitated. Who cared so much about looks, anyways?

“Do you always have the air conditioning on this low?” L sniped, his frustration amplified by the heat.

“Turn it up if you want,” Yagami replied. “I stopped caring a mile ago.”

With a great amount of spite, L turned it to as high as it would go. He watched Yagami’s eye twitch, and it felt like a concession.

“Is this fine?” L asked snarkily, and Yagami’s eye twitched once more.

“I already said I didn’t care,” he grumbled.

The heat was getting to them, and they were stuck trying to get to meeting the secretary because Yagami insisted he had to actually talk to her. Part of L was annoyed that Yagami couldn’t get what he needed from the transcripts of previous interviews, and the other, much larger part of L was just crabby because she insisted he be there. As the head of the investigation, she apparently felt the safest in his presence, and she had a particularly healthy distrust of the local government.

“Why is she still in LA?” Yagami broke the uncomfortable silence with. L sighed.

“They refused to pay to have her anywhere else.” L shook a large mess of hair from an eye to look over at Yagami more properly. “They said it was too expensive to house her somewhere when the people involved have no way of knowing she said anything. As well as some other… Complaints.”

Anger fluttered around Yagami’s features very temptingly, his normally rigid control failing in the face of injustice. “So they’re keeping her in the middle of the place she ratted on?”

“Yes,” L replied. “Fortunately, Ms. Takada was able to hire some people to watch over her.”

“What horseshit,” Yagami spat. “The department should’ve done better for her. Fucking ridiculous.”

When upset enough, L had found, Yagami was highly prone to a sudden use of expletives, and L was very good at getting him to such a point. Unlike Mello who cussed as if his life depended on it, Yagami otherwise seemed to carefully avoid them as if they were taboo or damaging. L wondered vaguely if Yagami cussed far more frequently around those he were comfortable with.

It made him sound approachable.

“I agree,” L attempted to soothe. The entire action made him want to hurl, as human emotions were not his strong suit. He felt the sudden sting of upset as he realized his mistake in not bringing Matsuda. “It’s a gross miscarriage of justice. They metaphorically threw her back to the wolves. Discovering her connection would not be very hard for them.”

Light was clutching the steering wheel a bit more firmly than he needed to, L realized. It was in a way oddly cute.

“Fucking idiots,” Light sneered. “We should send Matsuda to stay with her sometimes. He’s good in a pinch.”

Light stared out the front window, a great image of short temper and chivalrous behavior coming together. L was caught for a moment watching the light glisten off his hair, his hands twitching a bit to ruffle it before he stopped himself.

L couldn’t seem to find anything else to say for the rest of their trip, and Light seemed upset. It was shocking that something so minor in the grand scheme was so aggravating, but L understood. He’d been the one who advocated for Takada to be taken out of the city, and having been ignored felt awful. Money took place over all else, as was usual in this city.

He didn’t speak again until they were in front of her building.

~~

“Ostentatious, is it not?” L grumbled. Light stared up at the highrise, the sun shining off and into his eyes as he tried to tell how tall the thing was.

“And which floor is she on?” Light asked, and L sighed. “Oh, the top one, great.”

“I didn’t say that,” L said quietly, but Light looked over to see him smiling slightly. For once, it wasn’t horrific, and Light was shocked silent. “But yes, she does.”

“I just hope the elevator’s working,” Light said eventually. “Otherwise that’s not going to be fun.”

The elevator was working that day, luckily for them.

Unluckily for them, L was flagged at the door and given directions to the nearest homeless shelter, until Light came over and talked the woman from the front desk out of attempting to call the police when L refused to exit. A few moments of reassuring, cajoling, and charming finally got them into the elevator across the lobby.

“You’re very popular, aren’t you?” L asked sulkily afterwards. Light leaned against the wall of the elevator, unable to stop the giggles from continuing to escape him.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Light gasped out. “That was priceless.”

“That woman has no idea you have no intentions of calling her, does she?” L tried to veer off again.

“I can’t _believe_.” L glared at him properly as Light devolved once more into fits of laughter. “See, I told you your clothes gave off the wrong impression.”

“My clothing is meant for comfort, not style,” L pouted.

“Did you know,” Light began, “that clothing can be fashionable and comfortable?”

“No, those are mutually exclusive,” L grumbled. “Especially in the realm of suits.”

“You just don’t have taste,” Light snickered. “This is proof you should listen to me more.”

“No, never,” L shot back, and Light burst into heavy laughter at the tone.

L was staring at him as Light tried to pull himself together, the huge eyes unnerving yet adding to Light’s humor. If he looked closely, he found that L did, in fact, have eyebrows, but they were hidden underneath huge messes of unbrushed hair.

“At least brush your hair next time,” Light teased. “Then you’ll be a bit more popular with the girl, too.”

Teasing L felt a bit odd, but L didn’t protest, and so Light didn’t take it back. L would simply have to get used to it, he decided, as Light enjoyed teasing other people a bit.

“You’re being mean to me, Light,” L whined. “I don’t even own a hairbrush.”

Had L just called him Light instead of Yagami? Whatever, it didn’t matter what name L used, when L was already so odd. Light would just get used to that.

“Yeah, no shit,” Light laughed out as he tried to get a hold of himself. “God, okay, I need to breathe.”

L continued to stare at him, an odd mix of various emotions darting around, but finally, L smiled again, in some form of amusement. Light found himself looking down slightly for no discernible reason, until the elevator made a soft ding.

“After you,” L said.

Light caught his eyes before a small hiccup of laughter popped out, his body moving out the tiny box swiftly.

“Yeah, it’s probably best if the bodyguards meet me first, huh?”

L mumbled something angrily behind him.


	4. Civility and Rude Dicks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being rude to a witness is a whole new level of ridiculous, but really, Light shouldn't even be surprised at that point. Doesn't mean he isn't still completely pissed off by it, however. He's sick and tired of L being like this, of behaving like a child, and he's going to make sure he knows it. Unless L is swept up in other issues...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be seeing family until the 29th at the earliest, so I figured I would post this chapter a little early, too! I'll post chapter 5 when I get back from holiday festivities, so y'all won't have to wait too long. I hope everyone has a happy holidays and has some good food at some point!

Kiyomi Takada was, undeniably, a beautiful woman who looked and seemed to be exactly the kind of woman Light instinctively knew would make Matsuda nudge Light’s side and probably say something idiotic. She was calm and sure, but also, she was clearly someone who knew just what situation she was in.

“Thank you for coming,” she said politely. “Did you want any tea or?”

“Yes, please,” Light returned, and he watched as she called one of the guards over, quickly directing her to where the tea was stored. “I’m sorry to inconvenience you .”

“No, it’s not a problem at all,” Takada assured. “I’m glad my accusations are being taken seriously.”

“Of course.” Light took the seat across from her, and she leaned forward a bit as he did so. “We want to be able to help.”

“Thank you,” she said again, and a moment later, the guard from before returned. All of the guards were female, Light noted, before he took the tea tray from her hands and set it on the table.

“Does this have any lavender?” L asked loudly. “I’m allergic to it.”

“No, I remembered from the last time,” Takada said. “I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”

L nodded in approval before adding far too many sugar cubes than one human being needed in tea. Light found himself staring in horror as L used most of the sugar cubes in the bowl, the tea a milky white and also possibly sludge. He turned to look to Takada again, and he found her staring at him already. Why do people keep doing that lately?

“I had some questions,” Light tried to recover, “if you were alright with that?”

“Anything to help the investigation.” She shifted to pull her cardigan tighter around herself as a comforting motion, and Light felt his anger at the whole case grow. Poor woman. “I want to be able to leave my own home comfortably.”

“I understand. What exactly did you see?”

“Not much,” she admitted. “I worked for the mayor a little bit ago- in May of last year. I started there because I was finishing up my degree and needed money, and the office needed a secretary. I got the job, and soon after I worked mostly the later shift. In about July I started to realize a man would come in about once every two days to speak with him, always at the same time.”

L slurped his tea loudly, and Light turned to him with a glare. All he got was a blank stare before he felt his eyes narrow a bit further, his attention going back to Takada.

“A man? What did he look like?” Light asked.

“Tall, lean. Maybe in his thirties. When I spoke to authorities, I think they identified him with my help.”

“Yes, they have suspicions,” Light agreed. “Did you ever hear what they were talking about?”

“Money, mostly,” Takada said quietly. “I had assumed he was from the treasury office until about November. That’s when I heard him mention Ross.”

L put his cup down with a loud clatter, and Light looked to him again. Was this man insane? He took yet another moment to try to silently communicate that L needed to be silent, but instead he found L blinking blandly at him. The mirth from the hallway was entirely gone, and Light was about to hit L.

“What did he say about Ross?”

“Not a lot. I wasn’t even sure if I’d heard correctly.” Takada readjusted her jacket and leaned back again, her eyes turned towards the window. “I think it was April when I heard them arguing. I heard the man tell the mayor he owed Ross money. I don’t know how much or why, but I know what I heard.”

She looked so distant, but yet again, Light was distracted by L bouncing his leg on the couch. Light bit his tongue to keep from beating L then and there.

“That must have been scary,” Light somehow got out. “It was brave of you to come forward.”

“I hope it was the right thing to do,” she said wistfully. “But it almost seems like it wasn’t.”

The insult to the department stung at Light, but he understood her feelings. She was trapped in her own apartment, unable to safely go anywhere, and they hadn’t protected her. It made hs resolve to have Matsuda come over every now and then firmer.

“I hope we can convince you it was,” Light asserted calmly. Two sets of eyes looked at him, but the only ones he cared about were Takada’s teary ones. “We want to help you.”

She blinked quickly, before she smiled.

“Thank you. I hope you can.”

~~

Near fidgeted with his cards quietly and hoped that L and Yagami returned quickly, since he wasn’t sure if any of them could take it much longer. Matsuda was nice and all, but the man was relentless, and they were all suffering.

“But seriously, where did you get it?” Matsuda continued. Mello sighed as he tried to ignore him, but Near hoped that it didn’t turn into anger. “Is it custom made?”

“Yeah,” Mello said. He flicked his hair out of his face before he tried to inch away again. “Leather is only worth it when it’s custom.”

“That’s so cool!” Matsuda burst out, and Near watched Mello wince at the assault to his ears. “I always wanted a leather jacket, honestly, but I was never sure if I should do it. Would it suit me?”

“Yeah, go for it.” Mello inched away a little bit more. “Follow your fucking dreams.”

Was Near impressed or horrified that Matsuda was the one being on this earth that could drive Mello away? He might even be a bit envious, frankly. Mello had a habit of picking on him, and he would love to be able to get rid of him. Should he be observing Matsuda then?

“Yeah! You’re totally right!” Matsuda looked happy with what he had decided was validation, and Mello got a little bit further away. “I need to stop hesitating and just do it. Really, it’s just me not committing, huh? But you’re right- it’s worth it.”

“Cool,” Mello croaked.

How did Yagami do it? Near tried to think back to how Yagami handled Matsuda, but he couldn’t seem to think of anything. Did Yagami really just _endure_?

“I hope it will be!” Matsuda exclaimed. “Because honestly, it would suck if-!”

“You’re just rude!”

All eyes flipped around to the door as it slammed open, the two Near had been hoping for coming back in with a blaze of… Glory. Yagami looked angry, L looked bored, and Watari looked so tired.

“Takada wasn’t disturbed, only you were,” L said back. “You have a very short temper.”

“You’re lucky she wasn’t!” How long had they been arguing? Near sighed. “Otherwise I would’ve removed you from the room!”

“Oh, you think you could?” L asked, and Near felt himself groan inside. Why L took so much pleasure in riling up the detective was unknown to Near, but it made things tense. L had been known to prod at others before, but this time it was a bit different.

Maybe it was because they sometimes started arguing in Japanese, or once, memorably, in French.

Like now. Near was mostly fluent, but Yagami’s usage of slang and idioms threw Near off a bit. From what he could get, L had been rude to the witness, and Yagami was deeply disappointed in him. There were far more colorful words interspersed that Near didn’t quite know, but he could guess their meaning from context.

“Which isn’t okay!” Yagami yelled in English before switching back to Japanese. Near looked towards Mello and saw him take this opportunity to fully get away from Matsuda.

Near suspected Matsuda was bilingual with the way Matsuda winced at certain points.

Most shocking, however, was that L would let Yagami yell at him. L tended to do similar things to others, pushing them until they snapped, but then he cut them off abruptly, reasserting who actually was in charge in a childish power move. It could be that Light actually had things of worth to say, but Near thought it was far more sinister.

L knew Yagami would say what he wanted no matter what.

A striking move, really. Near thought he should observe this, too, in case it did ever become a means for Yagami to assert power in any way.

“Someone had to keep us all from drowning in civility,” L interjected once more in English. “One more please and I may have broken the teacup she handed me.”

Shocking was perhaps the only word to describe the day overall when L finally tipped Yagami over the edge and Yagami lost it.

L stumbled backwards after Yagami punched him, just barely staying up as Yagami switched to some mess of English and Japanese that even Near couldn’t keep up with, his eyes wide and stunned. When Yagami grabbed the front of L’s shirt to hold him as he screeched, L decided to make the frankly dumb decision to kick Yagami’s leg out from under him, both of them tumbling to the floor and devolving into a fistfight that could only be rivaled by the kind you see outside of bars.

You know, childish and stupid.

Matsuda raced forward and started trying to get between them, and Near, Mello, and Matt hung back, enjoying the comedic scene before them. It’d been a while since they last saw L actually fight anyone, and quietly, Matt and Mello started taking bets.

“Boys.”

The Peanut Gallery and the Dumbasses all halted immediately, L’s head hitting the tiling below him as Watari gave his disappointing glare to them all except Matsuda. There was a long pause before Watari sighed.

“I thought I heard a commotion,” he grumbled. “L, get up. Yagami, clean yourself off.”

“Yes, sir,” L mumbled. Yagami’s head whipped towards L like lightning, clearly shocked at the obedient tone.

“Thank you, Matsuda,” Watari continued. “Unlike others, you actually took action.”

Ouch. That stung. The full weight of parental disappointment hit them all like a truck, and even Yagami bowed his head. L especially looked properly scolded, although Near doubted it would leave any lasting impact.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Yagami croaked out. He stood quickly, dropping L like a ton of bricks, and escaped without another word, and L just continued to lay there for another long moment.

“L?” Watari pressed. “You need to clean up, too.”

“Yes, on it,” L mumbled again.

Near watched as L exited stage left, a quiet settling over the room before Watari sighed and looked back to the gallery.

“Stop taking bets when these things happen,” he begged. “They ruined the tables I got.”

Only Matsuda could respond.

“Aw, man. Someone stepped on my phone during that.”

Watari heaved another heavy sigh.

~~

L approached the team bathroom quietly, Watari’s upset weighing him down before he realized that he was the attacked and not the attacker. Almost immediately, L’s mood brightened back up before he turned the corner and saw Light at the sink, wincing as he pressed at a bruise on his face.

How horribly unfair it was. How horrendously unfair it was for Light to look even better when he was messy and unhinged.

When Light had been seething, he’d thought that was the height of his prettiness. When Light had been yelling, he’d thought that had to be his most gorgeous. When Light finally launched at him, he was convinced that was it.

He was so completely and terrifically wrong.

He still bemoaned Light’s complete lack of an appealing personality, but hey, Light would make a very attractive houseplant.

“Why do you have an obsession with staring at me?” Light muttered suddenly. L jolted a bit, before Light looked over at him and L jolted a bit more.

Light’s hair was probably so soft.

“I stare at most things,” L dismissed before strolling over to the other sink. He winced when he saw his own knuckles. “Are you going to punch me for that too?”

“I swear to fucking God,” Light groaned. “Do you enjoy upsetting me?”

“Yes?” Light’s jaw clenched tightly, and L backed up a bit. “You’re very uptight.”

“It’s called being polite. I actually have fucking manners.”

“So punching me was being polite?”

“Goddamnit, L!” L watched Light recollect himself, and he watched Light push his hair back with his fingers. They glided smoothly through, and L confirmed his soft hair theory before his brain went a little dumb at how stunningly incredible Light looked with messier hair.

“I think fighting you was the most fun I’ve had with you thus far,” L let slip in his hideously stupid moment. “I like when you let go a bit.”

He wasn’t sure if Light was about to hit him again or not, but he found himself finally looking away and attending to his various battle scars. The spot Light had punched him was already a dark blue, and he grimaced a bit as he looked. Why was he suddenly very adamant about avoiding Light’s eyes?

Why did he feel _shy_?

He forced himself to look over, determined to rid himself of the dreadful emotion, and oh. Oh, no. Light was looking at him, his anger gone, and a tiny smile was there in what may have been amusement. L’s heartbeat decided this was the time to go warp speed, thus dooming L to having a completely blank mind.

“Jesus,” Light said. “You’re terrible at social interaction, huh?”

Was he being teased again? Why did he hope a little bit that he was?

“I’m perfectly capable at it,” he croaked. Croaked?

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Light pushed on. “Just a, ‘Hey. Your mannerisms make me uncomfortable.’”

There was another pause as L decided to escape and go back to washing his split lip.

“Why does it make you uncomfortable?” Light pressed. “I was trying to be courteous.”

“You were trying to be facetious,” L finally choked. “You get a sense of moral superiority from acting that way.”

“...I wouldn’t insult you by denying it.”

Light Yagami was stunningly gorgeous when L looked again. He was tousled playfully, an ease to his body he didn’t even have around Matsuda, and L groaned internally. Say that again, he wanted to say. _Call me your equal._

_Call me your equal._

“Are we friends?” L sputtered. “Are we friends, Light?”

“I have terrible taste in friends,” Light returned.

The podcast of L’s heartbeat sped up to be times four. When he looked in the mirror, he realized his ears had gone a bit pink.

“You’re the first friend I’ve ever had,” he stumbled out.

Shock was the main emotion on Light’s face when L looked back to him, trying to avoid his own reflection. L’s heart beat six times before the corners of Light’s eyes crinkled and mischief lit up his features.

“Is it because you’re a dick?” Light asked.

L oddly found himself wondering how much a hairbrush cost.


	5. Fanboy's Worst Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L is restless. He hates feeling obvious, hates that he isn't quite sure what's going on, and hates that he doesn't even know where to begin. He may be enjoying being able to see, really... And annoying Light as he prepares to meet another potential witness. Oh, did they run into someone...? Oh, dear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm back from visiting family! I'm going to resume my usual posting schedule of approximately once every 5-6 days. And before we get into the next few chapters do know this: I love Misa. I hate that Light finds her annoying. Anyways, feel free to find me on Tumblr (side-ho-ryuuzaki) or on Twitter (@sidehoryuuzaki). Thank you for reading!!

Anyone with half a brain could see L was restless. It was obvious with how he kept spinning his chair in circles, and more importantly, black frames sat on his face and made him somehow look older and younger than he did without them. L hated them relentlessly, unsure why he had them on in the first place, although being able to see the computer screen was a bit nice.

He hated being obvious, though, and he was agitated.

He broke a hairbrush in his hair two nights ago. He’d had to yank too hard and it snapped in half before it eventually snapped into many smaller pieces. The worst part of all had been when Watari had walked in on him with that questioning stare before noticing the plastic in his hands, and the entertained look. That entertained damn look.

“Stop that,” Light snapped as L turned for the forty-third time. He ignored him.

Watari had left some “Silky Smooth” shampoo and conditioner in L’s hotel room last night. It’d been so embarrassing, and L felt humiliated. He hated sharing a joining room with his superior.

He’d known Watari for too many years.

“Cut it out!” Light snapped again, and L whipped back to the moment when Light grabbed the arm of his chair. L came to a stop, ready to tell Light off.

Except his throat decided that all that would come out is an idiotic whine.

“What?” Light grumbled. “Use your words.”

L cleared his throat. “I was thinking,” he finally got out. “Let go of my chair.”

“Are you going to go back to spinning?”

“Obviously,” L dismissed. “I liked spinning.”

“And I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Light sniped. “Stop spinning before I break your chair.”

Matsuda was tensing behind Light, clearly still on edge after their last fight. L didn’t even know why when Matsuda hadn’t even had a scratch on him. He thought, though, that maybe he was just so supremely shocked Light had actually hit someone.

Because they all knew, Matsuda was next.

“Breaking someone else’s property? I never knew you were such a criminal,” L snarked. “How did you get a job in law enforcement?”

“We’re not doing that one again, L.”

L was about to answer when Light glared at him a bit more harshly, and he shut his mouth. Light’s eyes narrowed dangerously before he lifted his hand off the chair, his eyes still on L.

“Don’t annoy the others when Matsuda and I go today,” Light warned. “Or I’ll fucking hit you.”

“Is that a promise?” L shot back, and Light’s hand curled into a fist. L smiled. “Take the car we have. It isn’t registered, so it can’t be traced back.”

“Unless we’re recognized,” Light said with an eye roll. “But fine. We’ll take the car.”

“Oh, and try not to be recognized,” L replied. “That’d be most inconvenient for me.”

“Thank you for the helpful advice. Got any more?”

L smiled slightly in amusement as Light sighed. “Do hurry. Time is of the essence.”

Light glared once more, his irritation obvious. L wanted to keep pushing Light’s buttons, but he refrained, if only so that Light didn’t look further beaten up later. Besides, they wanted the man to actually talk instead of just trying to hit on Light, and if he showed up all disheveled, L knew they’d get nothing.

“Really,” Light said blandly. “I wouldn’t have known.”

“Shocking, isn’t it?” A vein seemed to pop on Light’s head. “I know, you may never have noticed it if it weren’t for me.”

The response L got was Light shoving L’s chair as hard as he could, rolling L away from his computer.

~~

The mayor’s current secretary had asked for them to meet him in a high end bakery right near Beverly Hills. He hadn’t wanted to be seen leaving a police station, not when he had a potentially promising political career ahead of him, and Light and Matsuda had agreed to go for the team. The only issue was that Light hadn’t thought to bring money for parking, so he and Matsuda were late after having to stop at an ATM. Light’s poor bank account had sobbed when he had to pay the parking fee.

“I’m very sorry about that,” Light sighed out. “Traffic was a nightmare.”

Raye Penber was a well dressed man who was a bit older than Light had expected, but he held himself proudly. He supposed that the man had just found what he’d wanted to do later in life than most, and he left it at that.

“I understand. This city needs better planning and transportation systems,” Penber said. Light’s eye twitched slightly at the political speech tone but otherwise swallowed it down as he sat.

“Thanks for meeting with us!” Matsuda chirped. “This is highly confidential, okay?”

“Of course. I don’t betray fellow citizens.”

Oh, Light was going to have an aggravating time. They quickly set up voice recording and prepared themselves for the continued speech making.

“What is your current job?” Light cut to the chase. He wanted this to just be done already, especially since he didn’t want to have to buy yet another parking ticket to park for an extra two hours.

“I am currently the executive assistant of the office of the Los Angeles city mayor.”

Eugh. Light bit down the grumble before moving on.

“We had a few questions regarding your job and regarding the mayor. What is it you currently do?”

“I handle many of the day-to-day operations in the office,” Penber told them. “The mayor is very busy, so I handle a lot for him. Hopefully, I am a help to the office.”

“Handle a lot? Can you tell us more?”

“Well,” he faltered a bit, “sometimes the mayor falls a bit behind. I make sure he gets back on track whether that’s documents or meetings.”

Light made a mental note in his head at that. Why would the mayor be so busy? Sure, he likely had a lot to do, but unless he was just using that as a cover for his side business, there was no way. Was Penber involved?

“What kinds of meetings?” Light asked next. Penber looked a bit nervous, but he sighed.

“Honestly? Mostly town halls. I do my job of informing the people what the city is planning on doing. I’m not entirely sure if he’s allowed to skip those, but I go for him, to make sure the people can hold their government accountable.”

Something about that eased Light a bit. The guy was too earnest and too civically inclined for Light to suspect him of having had a hand in the meetings with Ross’s men. He also suspected that it meant the man would be eaten alive by politics, too, but that wasn’t really his concern.

“Have you ever seen the mayor meet with anyone?” Light continued.

“No. Other than a really pretty woman once, but I didn’t pry. His personal life isn’t any of my business.” Raye shifted a bit. “She was a brunette. Sadly I don’t remember much else.”

Shit. Did that mean Ross knew they were being watched? It was likely, considering, but it was still annoying. Light was still annoyed by the fact. And the knowledge that the mayor was maybe having an affair would have made Penber nervous.

“Just a few more questions, okay?” Matsuda piped up.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Light sighed and started trying to find out more about the mayor himself.

~~

How does someone do this to their computer? How the fuck did Matsuda do this to his computer? Matt continued working on the thing he suspected was gone for good at this point simply so he didn’t have to start doing anything else. At least L had stopped whining about when were the other two coming back.

But really, they were taking an abnormally long time, weren’t they? Even if Matt accounted for traffic and other minor inconveniences…

Part of him thought he should say something, but another part of him was avoiding setting L off again. He weighed his options before finally coming to the hard truth that yes, he probably had to say something, and yes, it was the right thing to do even if it fucking sucked.

“Hey, guys?” Matt piped up. “Aren’t Yagami and Matsuda taking like… A really long time?”

L’s head bobbed up from behind a computer screen. Matt could tell by his hair, which hey, did it have an odd brushed part in the front or was he imagining things? The hair bobbed for a bit, and Mello threw something at the back of Matt’s head that connected, before L spoke.

“I agree,” L said stuntedly. “They should’ve been back a while ago.”

“Like it doesn’t take this long to interview a guy, right?” Matt asked. “Should I start tracking the car?”

“You were tracking the car?”

Speak of the devil, and he will appear. Matsuda’s head poked in from the doorway, an animated look on his face. Matt watched L visibly relax, if the way his hair bobbed down was any indication.

“Matsuda,” L said sternly, “what took so much time? And where’s Light?”

“Light’s cooling off a bit,” Matsuda buzzed. He walked over to his desk as everyone stared, clearly waiting for more information. Matt thought Matsuda maybe enjoyed the dramatics as Matsuda dramatically spun his chair and sighed loudly.

“Well you see,” Matsuda began, “we were eating at quite the high end place in Beverly Hills. If you know anything about there, it’s swanky, and stars go there all the time.”

“Get to the point, Matsuda,” L warned. Matsuda tensed before he laughed nervously.

“We ran into Misa Amane.”

That caught L’s attention. L rolled his chair out from behind his computer to properly look Matsuda in the face, and Matt prepared himself for the fanboying to come, his hands already reaching for his headphones.

“Misa-misa? The model? How fortunate. Her spread in _Vogue_ was simply stunning. She should do more mature shoots, in my opinion. It suits her better,” L rambled. “Though her _Teen Scene_ shoot was just as good, although I am biased towards the candy aesthetics.”

“Oh, uh, it wasn’t a fan encounter,” Matsuda chuckled a bit. He had his hands up a bit that somehow conveyed that Matsuda not only knew what L was even talking about, but that he _agreed_ , and Matt wanted to escape. “She came to us.”

“What?” L’s eyes boggled a bit. “Why on Earth did that happen? ...Why is Light cooling off outside?”

Was Light hit on by a fucking model? Jesus Christ, the guy just attracted attention. Matt was mildly envious as he finally found his headphones under a pile of wiring.

“Well,” Matsuda started. He cleared his throat. “Uh. Misa’s his ex.”

Matt was shocked, to say the least.

But to say L was shocked was perhaps a felony,

He looked equal parts stunned as he looked completely and utterly upset, and Matt kind of felt bad for him. He was a huge fan of hers. Knowing someone who dated her maybe broke the magic of her being on L’s mental pedestal, and Matt could empathize. He worked quickly to unravel the wire mess to get his headphones.

“Light dated Misa?” L stumbled out.

“I tend to say it was more like Misa dated Light,” Matsuda fumbled. “But yeah, I guess so.”

“Be specific,” L warned again, and Matsuda jolted.

“Light was never that into her? I never took you for a gossiper, L.”

There was a long pause before Matt watched L physically remove himself from the conversation. There was an even longer pause before L even responded.

“I’m… Not.”

“Okay?” Matsuda said in confusion.

Matt knew that tone. L was withdrawing, thinking heavily about something, most likely, and Matt nearly sobbed in relief when he freed his headphones. He pulled his phone out and plugged the suckers in, the music icon looking so beautiful.

“Are you okay, L?” was the last thing Matt heard before EDM filled his ears.


	6. A Million New Messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Light's phone won't stop going off, and Light is already frustrated with the world. Everyone around him is behaving weirdly, and he's frustrated with the newest problem on his hands. Misa with the power to text is a force to be reckoned with, but at least she provides a means for everyone to come together. And elsewhere, L deals with revelations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Please don't be alarmed, I do have more chapters written. However, I do need to take some time off for personal and medical reasons, so don't be alarmed if next week's chapter is a bit late! I'm not sure yet if it will be, but I promise something will go out in the next week and a half to two weeks, before going back to normal (once a week). Thank you for understanding!

Of all people, did it have to be _her_?

Light groaned as his phone buzzed for the millionth time, and the entire taskforce sighed collectively. It was maybe the one thing bringing them together as a team, and while Misa wasn’t a bad person, she tended to text.

A lot.

For hours at a time.

Light was this close to chucking his phone at a wall, and he would’ve if it wasn’t the only phone that his parents had the phone number to. 

He didn’t really want to be Misa’s friend.

They’d never had much in common. They’d met because someone broke into her house, and Light was the one they sent. She’d asked for his number afterwards, and then a week later she asked him out. They’d broken up in the end because she wanted to go public, and he didn’t, not with his line of work.

And also because Light just found he wasn’t very interested. Was that mean of him?

And now she wanted to be friends. It was obvious she still had feelings for him. It was painfully obvious. But what the fuck was he supposed to do when she looked so ready to cry? She was a nice person, and a hard worker, and Light didn’t want to be that guy. Also he didn’t want to pay for yet another two extra hours of parking, so he gave her his number and ran for it.

His phone buzzed again, and he groaned.

_light look at this cool dress i get to wear for a shoot!_

_i think my new manager is hitting on me…_

_does sayu still like hideki ryuga?_

“Maybe putting it on silent would be best,” L said quietly. “Also your strategy is an interesting one.”

Light happily ignored his phone and looked down at the chess board, the sigh escaping him now a thoughtful one. L was good at this, clearly a great player, and Light was enjoying the fuck out of it. He hadn’t played anyone worthwhile in years, and when L had very softly asked him to play him the day of the Misa incident, Light had almost said no.

He was very glad he didn’t.

Light moved a piece before smiling triumphantly, confident that he had halted L’s advance on his king for at least another three moves. L had been asking him to play consistently each day, time being carved out of slower moments in the investigation.

“Do you play tennis?” Light asked as L considered the board. There was a beat before L blinked and looked up, the black frames of his glasses slipping down his nose as a laptop sat next to the board.

“Yes, I do,” L replied. “I used to be quite good at it.”

“We should play sometime,” Light invited. “I haven’t played in a few years either, but I used to be competitive.”

He was starting to get used to L’s smiles, too, as odd as they were. He didn’t jump anymore when L would turn one towards him, and Light started to think they were maybe even a bit nice. He supposed he was just getting used to such a weird friend.

“I would like that,” L said with a smile. It was nice to see for Light, and he found his own mouth tilting upward. “A friendly match should be fine.”

“I never said it’d be a friendly match,” Light challenged.

“I’m quaking in my shoes already.” Light found a small laugh escaped him. “However, I’m sorry, but I’ll have to insist on it being friendly. We’ll still have to work together after all. And you’ve already hit me twice thus far.”

Ah yes, Light had taken another swing at him a few days ago, after L and Light’s chess match became decidedly unfriendly. Light maintained that L’s pawn hadn’t been there before Matsuda knocked the board over, and L maintained that he didn’t need to cheat to beat Light.

Light hadn’t hesitated.

“You deserved that one,” Light sniffed. “I was well within my rights.”

“Is this what an abusive friendship is like?” L snickered. “Should I be staying away from you?”

Most horrifyingly of all was that Light didn’t really want that. The thrill of challenge was too strong for Light to deny, and honestly, Light was pretty sure L was in the same boat.

“Yes, but for my sanity, not yours.”

“Ouch,” L whined as Light laughed along. “Now that was certainly undeserved.”

Light’s phone buzzed again, and L’s eyebrows drew together. Light sighed as he opened his phone up and tapped the sound to go to silent. He briefly paused to open the app just to get rid of the notification.

_i did a movie with ryuga!!!! he was nice, but not as nice as you._

The soft tap of a chess piece practically made Light drop his phone to look up. L had just moved his rook in the most bizarre fashion, and Light stared for a moment before giving up and looking at L.

“...And you say I have odd strategies.”

“Well,” L oddly fumbled, “I have to keep you on your toes.”

“You’re succeeding,” Light admitted, “because I have no clue what you’re going for.”

There were several steps Light could take then and there to remove the offending rook, but he hesitated. What if doing any of those things was exactly as L planned? What if it just made Light play right into his hands?

He didn’t want to let L win twice in a row.

He frowned before making another move, one he wasn’t sure was really the right decision, before he looked at L again. L was looking thoughtfully at his computer screen, his thumb at his mouth, before he blinked and turned to Light.

It was oddly interesting to watch L’s ears go red, Light thought. The starer was certainly not used to being the stared at.

“Another intriguing choice, Light,” L said. “Is it common for you to seek validation?”

Somewhere, Matsuda coughed a laugh out, clearly listening in to their game like usual, but Light wasn’t concerned. Maybe he’d cared before, but certainly not now.

“Are you really that unused to someone trying to see your reaction?" Light shot back.

“No,” L said quietly. “Certainly not by men like you.”

“Men like me-?”

Light was cut off by his phone buzzing again, and they all groaned in solidarity together. Light huffed through his nose and leaned back (when had he leaned forward?) and angrily tapped open his phone, intent on muting it.

_that came across way more flirtatious than i meant!! i just meant you’re still like the nicest person ever!! i’m sorryyyyyyyyyyy_

_Misa, I’m at work. I understood what you meant._

_oh my god, i must be so annoying. HUGE SORRY!!!!! text me after you’re done!!!!!_

It didn’t matter if she texted or not. He’d already silenced his phone.

Light turned back to the board to see L had made yet another bizarre choice in movement. L himself looked taken aback before he realized Light was looking at him.

“...You doing okay?” Light asked.

He frowned as L smiled at him.

“Just further befuddling you,” L declared.

Somehow, Light suddenly doubted it.

~~

Matsuda looked down at the board in front of him, L’s frustration growing just from watching. Poor Light looked ready to strangle Matsuda, and L didn’t blame him. It was hilarious until a minute ago, Matsuda had asked what the king piece was.

But Light lost their bet, and this was his punishment. He had to teach Matsuda how to play chess.

How L pulled off his impulse placements was a fucking mystery. He even saw Light realize he was just randomly plotting them right before Light even offered such a deal, and really, L decided it was a testament to his skills that he somehow did it.

“You can’t move that piece like that,” Light sighed. Matsuda gasped before moving it back, his face going red.

“How… How can I move it again?”

Impulsive moves had gotten him into a huge mess for a moment there. He didn’t even really get why he’d done it, just knew he needed to move his pieces and to do it then.

He had to get Light’s attention back on their game.

And dear lord, what the hell _had_ L meant with ‘men like you’? It sounded horrifically flirtatious out of context, fuck even _in_ context, and he was lucky Misa decided that was the moment to text Light. Even if he hated her texting, she’d saved him.

How embarrassing!

What was even more embarrassing was that Light hadn’t commented that L’s hair looked much nicer, _thank you very much_ , and he had been in a shit-fit mood over it before they started playing. The shampoo and conditioner combo certainly worked wonders, even if it hadn’t stopped L’s hair from doing whatever the fuck it apparently wanted to do. Not that L tried to brush it again.

He knew. He learned. He feared.

At least it was soft now, and the front of it was now an unlocked area of finger runnings. The bangs had finally sorted themselves out, if what he had could be called bangs.

Did he want Light to touch his hair?

“That’s… A choice, I suppose,” Light grumbled as Matsuda moved a pawn. Matsuda sighed in relief.

“I think I’m starting to get this!’ he declared, and Light looked like he had a stroke.

Yes, dear lord, he wanted Light to touch his hair and tell him it was soft. And he’d accused Light of wanting validation.

But that was normal, right? L got to have a moment sometimes where he just needed his friend to tell him his hair was soft and looked nice, and maybe Light would smile at him and they’d play chess some more.

Or maybe this time it would be tennis.

He could hardly even picture it, honestly. Light doing any sort of physical activity seemed wrong, even if he knew Light worked out. Light was lean and built for his job, which was stunningly nice, yet L could hardly even picture Light going for a run. Light sweating seemed to be even more of a paradox, especially if he’d have a flushed face and-

Oh, boy, that got really weird very quickly, and L very determinedly tried to focus back on the train wreck in front of him. Matsuda was attempting to move the knight in a straight line.

But Light had to blush sometimes, right?

What on earth could make Light Yagami blush? He doubted even pornography could do it. Light seemed to be rigidly in control of himself and somehow even the world around him, and L took a moment to bask in the light of being someone who could ruin it. He was a top notch annoyance, a constant source of vexation, and God, why wasn’t that satisfying?

Why did L even care?

Light leaned across the board to show Matsuda yet again how he could move each one of his pieces, frustration just bubbling beneath the surface of every point and gesture. Light had leaned across their board earlier too, but he’d been relaxed and amused, and L found his head getting very stuck on it.

It was Light’s eyes, he thought. They’d crinkled in the corner, a wonderfully entertained expression making them glow a little bit brighter, and his eyes had been on L. L had had his full attention, and if L wasn’t such a coward, he’d have leaned forward and-

With what he was sure was an audible crash, L stumbled to several horrific and terrifying realizations all at once.

What happened to that terrible personality problem?!

~~

Matsuda always hated staring at employee lists. They were boring, and long, and never had enough pretty women to stare at as they weren’t all pretty women. He was likely supposed to care far more that he was looking for anything suspicious such as abnormally long breaks, but the drama of the work room was so much better.

L was very openly avoiding Light, and Light was starting to lose his patience very quickly.

To compound all of this, Misa seemed to be texting with fervor, Light’s phone lighting up every few minutes to let him know he had yet another message, and with each text, L got more and more distant.

Matsuda actually had to take refuge with the Three Musketeers to get away from the horrible atmosphere over near his usual desk.

“Maybe we should ask the what happened?” Matsuda asked the peanut gallery. He looked to see Near shaking his head.

“It’s best not to interfere,” Near said gravely. “Or Light may snap again.”

“I don’t want to fix another fucking computer,” Matt added in.

“But this can’t keep going on, right?” Matsuda pressured. “They were so friendly until just yesterday.”

“Light probably just can’t remove the stick from his ass,” Mello grumbled, and Matsuda sighed.

“It seems more L than Light, if you ask me,” Matsuda said back. “Light wasn’t upset until L actually walked away from him mid-sentence.”

“Which was hilarious,” Mello shot back. “It’s time someone told Yagadick that he’s fucking boring.”

“Don’t be rude,” Matt said as he bopped Mello on the head. “Matsuda’s right here, Mels. He was fine ‘til L bailed on their conversation. Which means it’s L’s fault this time. Like usual.”

They all watched together as L attempted to get Light’s attention, but gave up before he even tried. They all made a “hmm” noise as L dropped his hand away before he had reached Light’s shoulder, withdrawing entirely and even moving his chair further away.

“Maybe he lost a bet and doesn’t wanna pay up?” Matt suggested.

“No, he would’ve taken the punishment with pride to piss off Light,” Matsuda dismissed. “This seems more personal.”

If Light or L had been paying attention, they would’ve seen the Dumbass Platoon all tilt their heads together, and perhaps even have been awed by the level of teamwork and camaraderie those four felt with one another in that moment. As it was, Light was more preoccupied with clearly debating if he should hit L as L scooted further.

“Maybe L said something insulting,” Mello tried. “It’d explain why he bailed, and it’d make me damn happy.”

“L always insults Light, it’s their thing,” Matt now dismissed. “They like to bicker.”

Near was oddly silent. Well, maybe not “oddly” as he tended to be silent, but he wasn’t pitching any theories nonetheless. That alone made Matsuda start to wonder if Near suspected something embarrassing or very personal, then, and he turned back to Light and L.

The facts were these. L was avoiding Light. The two had been very friendly and were seemingly getting along until only just that morning, when L started to do said avoiding. Matsuda had noticed recently that not only was Light relaxed, L had also cleaned up a bit. In fact, L’s hair looked a lot nicer than the first time they’d met, and Matsuda suspected conditioner was involved. They both also kept trying to get each other’s attention, too, which maybe made Matsuda a little jealous that L and Light were so close. Oh, but speaking of jealousy, Jesus did L hate Misa texting Light.

It was the sudden and gobsmacking realization that L was jealous of _Misa_ that made Matsuda figure out Near’s suspicions.

“Oh, Jesus,” Matsuda said. “Er, I’ll talk to Light later. Near's right.”

“Traitor,” Mello huffed.

Near made unexpected eye-contact with Matsuda, and it almost made Matsuda jump out of his skin. A moment of understanding passed between them, and Matsuda found himself smiling a bit.

“They’re adults, they’ll figure it out,” Matsuda added. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

There was a pause before they heard a yelp and a sharp crash from the other side of the room, Light yanking L to him by L’s collar as he pulled back to hit him.

“Yeah, just fine,” Matt sighed as a laptop fell over.

Matsuda supposed there was a long road ahead of them.


	7. Five Thirty In the Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light has never been a morning person, but L has decided that it's the perfect fucking time to call him. And invite him out. Because that's just what L does, isn't it? Eventually, he needs to speak to a known dweeb and also sleazy bar owner to see what he knows, but for now he can entertain L and whatever bullshit he has coming. At the same time, L is having a great time, and feels wonderful, thanks for asking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back, everyone! I'm very sorry for such a long and sudden leave, but I still have some grad school related things going on (aka the personal stuff) and I'm still recovering from a nasty infection (the health related stuff), so I apologize. The next chapter will be up next Friday or Saturday, and I'll continue with posting like normal afterwards! Follow me on Tumblr and Twitter to see my dumb posts, or if you want to ask any questions. go right ahead!

“It’s five fucking thirty, L. You better have a goddamn emergency or I’m going to kill you.”

He heard a small huff of static through his phone as he rolled over in his beautiful and comfortable bed. The weather that early in the morning was just cool enough to not be waking up in his own sweat like usual, but Light didn’t care when he just wanted to sleep.

“I didn’t believe you’d answer,” L replied. “How wrong I was.”

“What, because you’ve been avoiding me for fucking days?” Light grumbled. “Or because it’s five fucking thirty?”

“Yes,” L said simply, “Which is why I wanted to invite you to play some tennis prior to work.”

Light groaned as he rolled over. “And that couldn’t happen during lunch? It had to happen now?”

“It’d be much too hot by lunchtime.” Light hated that he was right. “I’ll buy you breakfast afterwards.”

“What guarantee do I have of that?” Light grouched. “Your word that you’ll conveniently forget later?”

“When have I ever lied?” L chuckled out. “The mornings make you paranoid. I’ll take note of that.”

“And you talkative,” Light whined. He paused before he blinked at his ceiling. “How’d you get my personal phone number?”

“Anyways,” L sped on, “I can even have Watari come pick you up if you’re unwilling to drive so early in the morning, as an extra bonus.”

“...No, I can drive myself,” Light sighed. “Text me the address.”

“Of course. Try to be there in an hour.”

“An hour? I still have to get up and get dressed, L. And pack clothes for work. And bring water and my racket.”

“Fine. An hour and a half.” Light didn’t need to be able to see L to know he was pouting. It made him sigh again. “But no later.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Light agreed. “See you soon, asshole.”

There was a long pause before he heard L sigh slightly, a light huff of laughter coming with it. Light’s tired brain decided to not even bother trying to figure out what it meant.

“I’ll see you soon, Light. Oh, and uh, good morning.”

Light groaned again for good measure.

“Yeah, good morning.”

~~

He was delightfully tired when he and Light slid into the tiny booth near the back of the restaurant, his nerve-endings on fire and his heartbeat going a million miles an hour. He hated and loved it all, the feeling an unfamiliar familiar, and his legs shook from something other than exhaustion.

Light looked through the menu across from him, his eyes widening a bit as he skimmed.

“This is a bit much,” he whispered. “Are you sure you’re not going to back out of paying?”

Light didn’t need to know that L had spent an embarrassingly long amount of time looking through Yelp to find this place, and he didn’t need to know that L knew exactly what kind of prices it had prior to their arrival.

Watari hadn’t had to know either, but sadly, he did, after walking in on L doing his research the night before. What an awkward non-conversation that had been.

Why did he have a knack for walking in at the wrong moments?

“It’s fine,” L waved off. “I can handle it. You won, after all.”

“Yeah, but this is expensive enough to be a celebration meal after like a championship or something,” Light mumbled. “Not a friendly match between friends.”

“Just pick what you want,” L dismissed again. “Believe me, money is no matter.”

Light had an almost childish look of wonder as he scanned the menu again, somehow making the snide and sarcastic man look undeniably adorable. It was the most unfair thing in the universe, but L had come to expect unfairness in regards to Light. He bounced his leg with newfound energy, his nerves sky-rocketing his pulse into fucking orbit.

The last time he’d been this nervous had been in his writing class in college, nearly twelve years ago. And even then it wasn’t nearly as bad because Wedy had had a boyfriend already, so L at least knew he’d had zero shot no matter what.

Light was obviously somehow single, a fact that blew L’s mind while hating that it blew his mind.

“Ah, their omelets all sound great,” Light gushed quietly. “It’s been a while since I’ve had the energy to make an omelet in the morning.”

Success was an impeccable feeling, L thought. It was beautiful and sweet, especially when L desperately needed comfort right then. He felt like everything he did was either wrong or silly, even though he also knew it was perfectly fine.

“Please pick something good, then,” L somehow got out. “After all, you have to talk to that snitch today, yes?”

Light frowned slightly but nodded. “Yeah, I know. Don’t remind me.”

“Sorry,” L quickly dived in. “I didn’t mean to- Nevermind. I’ll refrain. Work talk is for… Work.”

He sounded like an idiot. He sounded like fucking Matsuda, and he wanted to slam his head hard enough into the table to die peacefully. He hated feeling nervous, but fuck if Light had a way of bringing it out of L without even meaning to.

“...It’s okay, L,” Light chuckled. “You don’t hang out with people much, do you?”

“No, not really,” L admitted. “I tend to be more introverted.”

A small laugh escaped Light as the waitress came over and took their order. Some part of L thrilled at Light’s little wince at L’s order of several pastries, but mostly L was thrilled at Light’s choice of an omelet.

God, he was pathetic.

“Is this going to be a regular thing?” Light asked suspiciously. “Am I your test friend?”

“Do you want it to be?” slipped out of L faster than soap slipped out of his hands in the shower. He mentally slapped himself for it.

“I’d be fine with it, I guess,” Light sniffed. “But if money is such a non-issue, you have to pay for breakfasts.”

“Using me for food? Harsh, Light,” L choked out. He was desperately relieved when his tea arrived, and he tried to use it to try to get rid of the block in his throat. “And I thought we were friends.”

Light’s small laughter meant far too much to him as Light swirled his coffee with a spoon. He took a long sip, a blissful look overtaking him, and L died a little more inside.

“Keep buying me food and we will continue to be.”

~~

Demegawa was a shady business owner in Little Tokyo who knew far too much about the way the city was run. His bar was located not far from the Japanese American National Museum, only a few stops from Union station. Light’s favorite book store, Kinokuniya, was also not far away, even if parking was a nightmare, and Demegawa really had a prime piece of real estate.

He also had the patronage of many high ranking officials as well as crime lords, and if pushed the right way, Demegawa would spill his guts.

Light and Matsuda parked their car in an underground lot, Light already pissed off at his partner.

“Why does it matter?” Light barked as he locked his car. “He wanted to play tennis, Matsuda.”

“And breakfast!” Matsuda added. “Tennis and breakfast!”

Why Matsuda was obsessed with Light and L showing up to work together, Light would never know. He wanted Matsuda to just shut up about it, especially after already hearing about it for forty-five minutes in the car. He didn’t want Matsuda to keep prying into what had actually been a great morning and ruin it somehow.

“And?” Light shot back. “Do you never hang out with friends?”

“He bought you breakfast and then offered to buy you an infinite number of breakfasts,” Matsuda pressed yet again. “And how did he get your phone number exactly?”

“I don’t know!” Light spat. His phone buzzed again, and when Light checked, he had six messages from Misa and one from an odd number.

_Tell Matsuda I just know he’s disappointing me._

“Is that him?” Matsuda said excitedly. Light scowled and held his phone further away from Matsuda’s prying eyes.

“We actually have a job to do, remember?”

_And also remind him that he’s an idiot._

“Aha! So it is L!” Matsuda continued as they walked out onto the street. “You didn’t scowl so it isn’t Misa!”

“She just texts a lot,” Light defended. “And can’t seem to understand my work schedule.”

_Remind him yourself. You can apparently just obtain phone numbers out of thin air._

“It’s still L! And you responded!” Matsuda continued to screech. “You won’t even respond to me!”

“That’s because you text entirely in capitals,” Light groaned. “It hurts to even look at. There’s no way I’m going to respond to that.”

“Oh, but L is such a cool texter?” Matsuda huffed. “I guess he’s just funnier than me.”

“Yes,” Light agreed. “He is.”

If Light had known that that was apparently what Matsuda had wanted to hear, he would’ve said anything else. Instead, now Matsuda got to look horrifically excited about something as Light tried to walk a bit faster towards the sleazy bar.

“You two should definitely text more then!” Matsuda declared. Light rolled his eyes. “Have some fun! Be young and live a little!”

“I hate you,” Light grumbled as several people passing by looked at them oddly.

“You need to cut loose more,” Matsuda said back.

A part of Light suddenly wanted to say that he did, just not with Matsuda, and that he’d had a lot of fun and a delicious omelet and coffee. He could let go a bit elsewhere, where it didn’t matter if he did, where he wasn’t judged for it in any way.

What an odd feeling that thought caused.

“Oh thank god,” Light muttered as the door to the bar loomed up ahead.

Demegawa’s bar, like usual, looked like something very sleazy yet high end, like you could purchase ecstasy and cocaine but you couldn’t get weed. It reeked of pretense and arrogance, and it also smelled like ash and nicotine. Light hated the place with a passion, yet for a brief moment it was an oasis away from the annoyance behind him.

That thought changed immediately when he actually saw Demegawa in his fake Gucci jacket, Light’s ire rising in him as he realized he’d have to take Demegawa in afterwards for peddling knock-offs again. He always was a bit off in his copies.

“Why, Mr. Yagami!” Demegawa called out when they entered. “And Mr. Matsuda! It’s been forever. I missed my best friends.”

Light already wanted to cuff him and drag him to the station, but he somehow refrained.

“We’re not friends,” Light said tersely. “Never have been, never will be.”

“But you’d look so good in an Armani suit,” Demegawa pressed. “And I could get you a great deal on those.”

“Seriously?” Matsuda huffed behind Light. “Man, I’d look good in Armani, too.”

“Anyways,” Light cut back in, “we came to hear some news, Demegawa.”

“No can do, friends. I’m not in that business anymore.” Demegawa held out some beer to them, and Light felt the way his face contorted at the thought of having this guy’s alcohol. “But have a beer on the house. It’s a sign of good will.”

“Actually, the sign for Goodwill is a big G,” Matsuda joked, and Light sighed.

“Aha! You were always the funny one,” Demegawa chuckled. “But here. C’mon. Drink up.”

Light stared at Demegawa blandly until he put the deer on the counter in front of Light. It was small and childish, but Light loved still being in charge of the situation.

“What’ve you heard about Rod Ross?” Light asked him next, and Demegawa sighed.

“I ain’t in the business any more, remember?” His eyes darted around the empty store, before he looked down a bit. Light glared.

“And that’s what you said last time about your knock-offs, but here we are,” Light threatened.

“What?” Demegawa’s eyes darted around again, the wrinkles around them flattening out a bit. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, c’mon,” Light groaned. “That was Gucci last spring. Except you didn’t use a patch for the sleeve, again.”

“Why do you always know so much about Gucci?” Demegawa muttered, and Light rolled his eyes.

“Because of you, Demegawa.”

“Look, I didn’t do anything illegal,” he huffed. “This is legitimate.”

“Really?” Light blandly intoned. “I would love to see your tax statement.”

Matsuda was chuckling a bit as he drank his beer, and Demegawa looked around again. Finally, he sighed, his eyes drooping.

“Okay, look. Maybe I heard one thing…”

“Spit it out,” Light warned, and Demegawa sighed again. There was a long pause as he looked around once more, before he leaned in close to them.

“I heard from a friend of a friend that Ross is trying to get the mayor. Mayor’s a real lazy fellow, though, so it’s all a mess. Usually, they talk to her instead.”

“Her?” Light asked. “Who’s her?”

“Dunno,” Demegawa replied. “And that’s the truth. I didn’t hear more than that, scout’s honor. But I do know that it’s got some of the unfriendly types all a-buzz.”

“What do you mean?” Light pressed. “Be specific.”

“Whoever it is, she’s changing the game,” Demegawa murmured. “Got a real knack for it. Ross hates her already, I hear.”

Light mulled it over, before he turned to Demegawa again. The bar owner was looking around again, clearly nervous and afraid, and Light briefly pitied him.

“We’ll be back to talk about your side business, don’t forget,” Light reminded him.

“You’re not staying?” Demegawa whined. “But I can get you some lunch, if you want.”

“Last time I had your food, I had food poisoning,” Light shot back. “I won’t make that rookie mistake again.”

“I’ll take some chips, though,” Matsuda said beside Light, and Light rolled his eyes again.

“I need to make a phone call anyways,” Light said with a sigh. Matsuda sat down at the bar and started chatting with Demegawa as Light stepped outside, his thumb tapping the call button immediately.

“...Light,” L answered.

“Bad news,” Light started and he heard a sigh.

“How joyous. What is it?”

“There’s some other major player involved,” Light sighed. “Someone Demegawa called ‘her.’ He has no idea about her, though. Just knows people are talking.”

“Great,” L breathed. “Did he say anything else?”

“The mayor’s a lazy slob, but we’d already basically gotten that from Penber,” Light said. “We’ll leave here in a minute, Matsuda decided he wanted food.”

“Good. Hurry back, please. Mello and Matt are driving me insane.”

“Oh? Now that’s a shock,” Light snickered. “Why is it this time?”

“Becuase I wouldn’t tell them-”

Light didn’t get to hear the rest as Matsuda slammed Light to the floor, a loud and vicious roaring sound in their ears as the window behind them shattered. Light’s phone skidded across the floor as he threw his arms in front of him as glass rained down on them, and vaguely, he thought he could hear a car engine speeding away.

His heart was loud in his ears, Matsuda was saying something, but it was as if he couldn’t hear.

“Are you okay?!” Matsuda was saying vaguely. 

Light’s arms bled with glass as he pushed himself up with his forearms, his shirt ruined, and was he just shot at?

“What the _fuck_?” Light sputtered. “Was I just fucking _shot at_?!”

Matsuda was panicking beside him, his arms waving wildly as he was saying something about 911 and his phone. Light’s own phone was making odd noises beside him, like someone was yelling through the speakers.

“What a _bitch_!” Light found himself exclaiming.

That was enough to make Matsuda pause, before he heard Matsuda declare Light was probably likely unhurt.


	8. HIPAA Violations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hospital visits are nerve-wracking for so many reasons, but no one ever expects the ex to show up. Especially when she shouldn't have even known about said hospital visit. But the aftermath is really what makes everything so much worse for Light and his entire life. Matsuda needs to shut his mouth, and L... Well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone who has read up until this point thank you so, so much for supporting my fic! I wanted to get something out a bit early this week, and I finished writing another chapter early. So now, this week, I'm going to post today and on this weekend! I just really love writing this for y'all, and I'm really glad it seems to be getting some love. Thank you!

L felt like a fucking zombie as he walked through the hospital hallways towards where Light was getting stitches from the glass of a shop window, L had heard. Why he’d even had Watari rush him to the hospital was beyond him, but he found himself stumbling towards the room Light was waiting for him in to be picked up. They’d have to send someone out to pick up the other car eventually, but for now it didn’t matter.

Watari followed closely behind him, paternal concern radiating off of him, and it put L more on edge.

“Matsuda,” L said as soon as he saw the other. “Where is he?”

“Uh,” Matsuda fumbled. He quickly closed the magazine in his lap before smiling a bit, the bandaids on his face and arms somehow scary in the hospital light. “He’s in there. But-”

L didn’t wait and instead opened the door, his eyes falling on the small blonde woman beside Light’s bed.

“Oh!” She looked at him, Light’s eyes pleading for help, and smiled. “You must be his coworker.”

“I’m Ryuuzaki,” he introduced. His heart sank as he saw the bandages crawling up Light’s arms, the clear discomfort in Light’s face speaking volumes. “Pardon me for interrupting, Miss Amane.”

Misa shook her head again in L’s periphery, before she clasped Light’s hand in her own in a way that drew L’s attention immediately. “No, no worries! I’ll leave him to you in a minute. I just wanted to make sure someone was with him.”

“Matsuda’s outside,” L found himself snapping, but he immediately reigned it in. Oddly enough, she let go of Light’s hand and backed away. “But I appreciate your efforts. How did you know he was here?”

“Her friend is apparently my nurse,” Light grumbled.

“Yes! She told me, and I rushed over as fast as I could!” Misa exclaimed. “She’d remembered his name from before.”

“I’m fairly certain that’s a HIPAA violation,” Light added in, but both guests ignored him.

“Thank her for me later,” L said pettily. “I’m sure Light prefered your company to Matsuda’s.”

There was another pause before Misa smiled again and got up, her hair bobbing with the motion. She looked to Light one last time.

“I’ll give you some space,” she told him. “And what you asked was no problem. I’ve got it, ‘kay?”

She walked to the door and winked at L before she left, leaving L confused and stunned as she swiftly walked down the hall, her heels clicking as she went.

“A favor?” L asked before he could stop himself. Light sighed.

“I asked her to talk to Takada,” Light said back. “Takada might need a friend right now, plus Misa also has a security team who could double up for her. ...And, well, Misa keeps blowing up my phone.”

“Ah,” L intoned. “There’s the real reason.”

Light flashed him a small smile, one that was a bit strained, and L found himself sitting in the chair Misa had just been in. Light sighed a bit as he readjusted his arms, before looking at L again more calmly.

“I have to be here until the doctor okays me,” he said. “Which was supposed to have been like an hour ago, but. Y’know.”

“Yes, I was shocked you were still in a room,” L agreed. “I suspect you’ll be given antibiotics.”

“Yeah, ‘cause I was fucking shot at. Matsuda said he saw the car pulling up while I was on the phone and sprinted to me.”

L had never liked Matsuda so much as he did in that moment. “I’m glad he did,” L admitted quietly. “He saved your life.”

“Don’t remind me,” Light groaned. “Now I owe him, and he’ll make sure it’s something atrocious.”

It struck L like lightning that Matsuda had saved Light’s life before. It was an odd burning feeling that settled in his chest and throat when he remembered that Light likely had been hurt like this in the past.

“Is it that common?” L asked.

“Owing Matsuda? More common than I’d like.” Light’s phone buzzed, and he reached for it, some pain evident but he could still move. “I’m just lucky that this time I didn’t break anything.”

“Oh,” L said quietly. “Have you broken many bones?”

Except Light’s face went red at whatever message he just got and he didn’t answer. Light clicked his phone screen off before looking towards the door, pouty and embarrassed.

“...Light?” L asked.

“I really hope Misa texts Takada and not me,” Light muttered.

Light didn’t speak again until the doctor arrived.

~~

A great way to make things awkward between friends is to know that someone else doesn’t see it as friendly at all. Light sat in his apartment after being sent home early and groaned as he heard L somewhere else in it, making tea he believed, and thought that L volunteering to stay with Light was perhaps a bit strange.

This was Misa’s fault.

_i didn’t mean to step on any toes!!!!!! please tell your boyfriend that i didn’t mean for it to seem like that!!!!!!_

Not that Light could carry anything heavier than a cup of coffee by doctor’s order (he just didn't want Light to rip his stitches- again), and he needed someone to stay with him for a bit, but this was weird now. And it was Misa’s fault. Light had found someone he could be himself around, and now it was weird, and it was Misa’s fault.

“Where do you keep your tea?” L asked from the tiny kitchen. Light sighed.

“In the top cabinet,” Light said back.

This was very unfair. Matsuda had gotten to go home too, but he’d also offered to stay with Light. Watari had been right, however, when he bluntly told Matsuda to actually rest (and to let Light rest, too), but now Light felt weird, it was all weird, and why would Misa have thought _that_?

“Do you want it sweetened?” L asked next. Light shook his head before he realized L couldn’t see him.

“No,” he called out. “I’m not a fan of sugar.”

L peeking from around the corner was comforting in a way, even if Light didn’t want to admit it right then. He was looking at Light as if he’d said something horrible, and Light raised an eyebrow at him.

“Sugar is incredible,” L said haughtily. “You just don’t have taste.”

“It’s called caring about your health,” Light huffed back. “Something I wish you did more of.”

“I do care,” L said blandly. “Which is why I eat sweets. It’s called self-care for my mental health.”

“No,” Light groaned. “That’s not how that works.”

He saw the mischievous glint in L’s eyes before L disappeared into the kitchen again, and Light swore that if his tea was sweet, he’d hit L with no care for his stitches at all.

Boredom struck Light quickly as L waited in the kitchen for the water to boil. He flicked the news on to see if his incident had been reported on, but luckily, the news was focusing on a different murder instead. He watched for all of a few minutes before he called out to L again.

“I’m shocked you know how to make tea,” Light teased. “I thought Watari did everything for you.”

“I've made tea before," L replied.

Light snickered a bit at L’s tone, the sulky quality one he was familiar with. He was fantastic at bringing that out of L. “So you don't act like a spoiled brat?”

“No.” L looked around the corner at Light again, his eyes narrowed in a glare. “I’m a good person. I'm only slightly spoiled, thank you.”

“Shocking,” Light said monotonously. “How does someone so spoiled dress like a homeless man?”

“That was _one_ time.”

“I can’t even imagine what you must have been like as a child,” Light continued. “Worse than this? What did your parents think?”

There was a sharp moment where L stared before he blinked.

“I don’t know,” L said. “I didn’t really know them.”

“Oh.” Somehow, the moment was heavy and yet not, L looking mostly unaffected. Light sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.”

“It’s fine,” L said with a shrug. “I was very little. I don’t remember much other than that my mother liked to swear.”

The teapot started to sing, and L moved back into the kitchen. Light felt even more awkward than before, and Jesus, how did he not realize that’d be a bad topic with L?

“Here,” L said as he sat beside Light. He put some tea in front of him. “No sugar.”

“There better not be,” Light warned. “Otherwise I’m maiming you.”

L smiled at him over the rim of his cup, and something about L drinking out of Light’s “#1 Big Brother” cup was horrifically. Well.

Cute.

“What are your parents like?” L asked as Light had an internal breakdown. “They’re in Japan, correct?”

“Y-yes,” Light stumbled. Panic hit him hard as Misa’s text floated back into his mind. “Uh, my father works for the NPA.”

“Oh?” L perked up. “Really? So you followed in his footsteps?”

“Yeah. My mom teaches English at the local school, too.” He felt embarrassed. Horribly, horribly embarrassed. Could L read minds? He hoped not. “And my sister is in college. She’s studying psychology.”

“You have a sister? Is that her, then?”

L gestured towards a photo on Light’s coffee table of him and Sayu taken at Disneyland the previous year. How Sayu had gotten him into a pair of mouse ears was beyond Light, but it made for a nice picture.

“Yeah,” Light confirmed. “We went to Disneyland.”

“She looks like you,” L said with some amusement. There was a moment before L continued, “You miss her, don’t you?”

“Of course I do.” He didn’t need to look to know L’s eyes were on him. “It’s hard being this far away from home. But I didn’t want to stay, so. I’ll deal.”

L hummed softly before pointing at another picture. “Your mother and father?”

“Yes. Stern, huh?”

“That’s a word for it,” L chuckled. “I would have used intimidating.”

“He’s a nice person, but very earnest and with almost no humor,” Light laughed out. “Do you have any siblings?”

L thought for a moment before he shrugged. “Mello, Matt, and Near are like little brothers. They’re as annoying as any younger sibling.”

“Then Matsuda’s my older brother then?” Light found himself nearly wheezing out. “Dear lord, no. I’d rather not.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” L chipped in, and Light found himself gasping for air as he laughed.

When Light looked at L again, he didn’t panic quite as hard when his brain decided L could sometimes be very cute indeed.

~~

L could be very kind when he chose to be, this Watari knew with absolute certainty. It was just that only a few people had ever earned such treatment from him, Watari included, and so it was heartwarming to see someone else had finally made it onto that list. Even if said person regularly got into arguments with L and bickered with him, Watari was glad that L finally was expanding beyond just his tiny circle of people.

Matsuda was talking to L and Light, animatedly explaining Light’s previous love life in detail ever since Misa attempted to call Light. Light was very obviously a bit horrified and a bit uninterested while L was too interested, and Watari supposed he should just be relieved L had friends.

“I have a theory,” Matsuda continued, “that Light only has a certain type and that’s why he’s so alone.”

“Matsuda,” Light warned. “I swear to God.”

“Do tell,” L urged, and Watari took another sip of his tea to stifle his sigh.

“He’s into the older, sultry type,” Matsuda decreed, and Light sighed loudly. “And same profession. That’s important.”

“Matsuda,” Light groaned again. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Because now you can’t hit me!” Watari wasn’t sure if that would hold, but Matsuda tended to live a bit on the edge. “How old are you, L?”

The other two looked very perplexed. L tried to think through the possible reasoning, and Watari knew the moment L figured it out because his ears went a bright red. He took another sip of his tea and continued to ignore his paperwork to continue watching.

“I’m thirty-two,” L admitted.

“You’re _older than me_?!” shot out of Light’s mouth faster than a bullet. “By _seven_ years?!”

“Well I’ll be damned!” Matsuda shrieked. “I’m a psychic!”

“I haven’t really developed any wrinkles,” L said. “Perhaps that’s why you thought I was younger? Also, thank you.”

“There’s no way you’re older than me,” Light heaved on. “How are you in your thirties?!”

“Why do you have this weird image of me?” L huffed. “I can drive, I can drink, I'm thirty-two, and I own my own place. Why is that so shocking?”

Matsuda was cackling as Light stared at L in shock. L looked pouty and sulky back, and Watari hid yet another sigh in his tea.

“I don’t know,” Light admitted. “You’re just… Weird.”

L blinked quickly a few times, before he forced out a bland look. “Thanks, I suppose.”

“Oh, please, as if you didn’t know you alienate others,” Light shot back. “Don’t play dumb with me.”

“I wasn’t,” L pouted. “I was trying to remind you I’m still human and have feelings.”

“I hurt your feelings?” Light heaved a sigh. “Sorry. But weird isn’t always bad, L. You just took it that way.”

“So you think it’s a good thing?” L blurted, and he shot a stunningly harsh glare at Matsuda when he started giggling.

Light paused, hesitation in his limbs and face. He shifted uncomfortably. “I mean… I don’t mind it. I guess.”

L’s ears went another shade darker, and Matsuda was full on laughing. Watari watched L consider hitting Matsuda, but he must have determined it wouldn’t deter him in the slightest. It would never deter him.

“Thank you,” L said to Light again. He cleared his throat. “Then I’m fine with being weird.”

“I forgot Light was such a tsundere,” Matsuda laughed out. Watari tilted his head a bit at the new term, but he parsed its meaning from context. “Dude, just say you think he’s fun to hang out with an’ move on.”

Light paused again before scrunching his arms closer to himself and rolling away towards his desk once more. Discomfort radiated off the poor boy, and Watari felt bad that Matsuda, the idiotic devil, was pushing him so hard. L rolled himself after Light, slight concern touching his eyes.

“Am I fun to hang out with?” L asked worriedly. Watari wondered how L got “no” from Light’s retreat, despite being a detective.

“I have stitches in my arm. Why don’t you two pick on someone who can hit you?”

Light was blushing, softly but definitely, and Watari prepared himself for L to be useless for the rest of the day. L scrambled a bit after leaning so far forwards he nearly fell off his chair.

“You’re blushing?” L said, shocked and alarmed. His mouth fell open before he scrambled. “You don’t have to answer, I suppose. Especially if it’s... Bad.”

“Leave me alone,” Light hissed. He turned a bit away from L, before muttering, “I don’t hate it. Okay? Go away.”

Light looked L in the eyes, and Watari watched L give up. Stunningly quickly, L turned a bright pink in the face, before rolling away himself, back to his desk.

Watari groaned quietly, knowing he’d likely have to help L get pieces of hairbrush out of his hair again later that evening.


	9. Showers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *GRATUITOUS EXPLICIT CONTENT* L takes some time to contemplate Light while in the shower, and to really think deeply about their situation. Unfortunately, there are several side-effects that must be addressed, and right then and there. Light is in pain while L has other issues, and he finds it a huge task to ask if he could have L come stay with him...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The funniest part of this all is that I firmly love bi ace L with all my heart, but God, do I love the awkward situations that could follow. So here we are, some extra heaping of explicit-ness for you all. Eventually there will be some more explicit stuff eventually! Also, whoohoo for posting another chapter this week like I wanted to! Chapters will go back to being posted weekly after this.

Showers were places of contemplation and soaking for way too long and running up a hugely awful water bill, this L was absolutely clear on. For the reason of huge water bills, L hardly ever indulged himself in it, but when staying in hotels, he would sometimes take showers so long that Watari would worry he was passed out or dead. At that moment, L was indulging, in more than just one way, his mind his worst enemy.

Light had blushed. Blushed!

L got him to blush!

Oh, what an addicting feeling. L was going to abuse it, horrifically, because he was so undeniably selfish. That moment had been the closest L had ever had to making out with someone on impulse, and this crush was so much worse than the one on Wedy had been.

Fuck, it was worse than the one he’d had on Aiber before her, when he was sixteen and just hit puberty.

Several key findings led to such a conclusion. Firstly, spending time with Light made the crush so much worse instead of going away. Secondly, while L had a type for intelligent, Light was someone at L’s level, an equal, and it knocked him around for a spin. And thirdly. Er.

L was actually considering masturbating for the first time in literal years, all because Light fucking Yagami blushed and it made L wonder if he looked that way during sex.

A moment that had been ecstatic for him, finding out Light liked spending time with him, was already tainted by L’s own idiotic, stupid, _extremely turned on_ brain. The way Light had looked him the eyes was such a turn on; that determination to still keep some sort of pride in the moment was fucking hot.

Shit, he was already touching himself, wasn’t he?

He was almost clumsy at masturbating, really. He never knew how to keep his voice down, never knew exactly what rhythm he liked, and never knew what to touch and when. He’d had a roommate, notably, in college who masturbated during the middle of the night when he thought L was sleeping. That same roommate had sex with his girlfriend once while they also thought L was sleeping.

He tossed the stray thought aside and instead pictured Light on his knees, looking at L with that flustered embarrassment he thought he could hide behind anger. Light was saying something in this fantasy, something about how he maybe thought L was okay, maybe he thought L was fun, maybe he was a little into him, but for once, L didn’t want a dialogue in a daydream.

Would Light moan? Or would he be silent when blowing someone?

“Fucking hell,” L found himself muttering.

Light would moan, L thought. He’d moan to keep attention on him, the star of the show, to make sure L wouldn’t look anywhere else. And goddamn, L wouldn’t look away. Who could? Soft, perfect hair brushing his thighs and pure, unadulterated pleasure would mean L would be stuck in that moment for forever if he could.

Would Light use his tongue? Would he use it to strike against L like he did in conversation?

Yes, L decided again. He would. And L would squirm horrifically.

He was being rough with his dick, but it was fine. This was fine. This was better than fine. He was fairly certain he was making noise, but did it really matter? Did anything outside of that shower matter?

He was close to an orgasm already, even though it had felt like only seconds since he’d even started. It was expected, when his fake partner was so fucking gorgeous. Light’s hands on his hips would be uncalloused, probably from a use of moisturizer, that vain man, and his eyes would drop to half mast-

He’s fairly certain he moaned Light’s name out as he came, a distant awareness telling him that was his voice reverberating off the walls.

He didn’t find it in himself to care.

~~

Except, L cared horrendously as Watari continued to avoid him, and he remembered his shower shared a wall with Watari’s room. There were certain things Watari never needed to know about, or hear about, and at least L didn’t ever have to tell Watari he had feelings for Light, right?

He wanted to die from humiliation.

He also wasn’t entirely sure how he was supposed to look Light in the eyes either, but that had been an ongoing issue for a while at that point, so he brushed it aside. The larger issue was now that L couldn’t look at Light without going a fantastic shade of pink, all because when he looked, all he could really see was the image he’d conjured up in his head the night prior.

What didn’t help was that Light was in a soft sweater instead of his usual button up, and his hair was a slight mess. Matsuda, who had stayed with Light the night prior to help him around the house a bit, calmly informed L that it was because Light was in too much pain to have done much else, and L had nearly killed Matsuda for not having given Light painkillers sooner.

Light hadn’t had his bandages in L’s fantasy, had he?

L immediately crushed that thought under his mental boot and tried to read the screen in front of him for the third time. He was retaining absolutely nothing, and if asked about it at all, he couldn’t say anything about it.

He blinked again and adjusted his glasses before leaning towards the screen again.

“Oh,” he said a moment later. “Mello, this is good work. We could trail this one this week.”

Mello jolted at the praise, and L wondered if he needed to be verbally more pleasant from then on. He was a bit too relaxed for anyone to believe everything was fine.

“Uh,” Mello fumbled. “Thanks? The guy was a fucking dumbass, though. Real easy to get his schedule down. Ross should get rid of him.”

“Ross should kill him,” Light grumbled. L winced at Light’s shitty mood. Poor man, his pain meds didn’t make him fully painless, but they wouldn’t give him a higher dosage. “Who needs a useless mafia grunt?”

“I think he might be Ross’s second cousin? Or something,” Mello continued. “They’re related in some way, though. Ross should still get rid of the bitch, but. That’s why.”

“Also, he’s a seller for Ross,” L reminded Light. “We should trail him and see where he leads us. Mello, I’m leaving it to you.”

“Yeah, on it,” Mello sighed. “I’ll take Matt.”

“Damn, man, seriously? I hate stakeouts,” Matt groaned. “Bitch.”

“Fuck you,” Mello shot back. “Someone’s gotta work the camera, and you bitched when I did it.”

“Doesn’t mean I wanna do it.”

“The don’t whine.”

“Take Near, too,” L informed them. “He’s better at reading lips than you two are.”

There were the clear beginnings of an uprising at that until Light looked at them from over the top of his screen, and his facial expression was so terrifying, even Mello calmed down. L made a note to not upset Light as Light went back to his work.

“...Light?” L asked quietly. “Do you maybe… Need anything?”

Light looked over at L blandly, pain drawing tight lines on his face. L figured that glass falling from the sky and slicing up Light’s arms followed by Light having to use the glass covered floor to get back up wasn’t exactly a fun experience and may have left him in more pain than originally thought.

“Why?” Light snapped. “Is there a problem?”

“No,” L backtracked. “Nevermind. Forget I asked.”

Awkward silence fell over them. It was a long moment before Light sighed a bit, his face relaxing marginally, and he shook his hair out of his eyes. “...I think some tea would be nice. And might help.”

L nearly jumped at Light’s soft tone. “What kind?”

“I don’t really fucking care right now,” Light replied. L was still being taken aback at his softer tone, but he tried to snap back to Earth. “Barista’s choice. Go wild.”

L would’ve been horrified at the way he leapt up to get Light tea if he wasn’t still stuck on Light’s quiet, grateful smile.

~~

Light was in pain. His arms burned and itched at the same time, his limbs all ached, and he was having trouble even performing basic morning functions, apparently. His sweater was already devastating, but his hair was a bullet to the face. It looked so ridiculous, with the way it curled against his cheek a bit, and he knew it had to look terrible because L wouldn’t stop staring.

He felt defeated, basically, and he hated it.

Matsuda, despite being a good friend, made it so much worse. He was a bit overbearing and wouldn’t ever shut up, and that just didn’t mesh as well with Light. What had meshed well with Light was the calm quiet from the night before that, intermixed with yelling at dumb TV shows that police work didn’t work like that.

He’d enjoyed that. He’d admit that to himself.

Not out loud, though.

It was getting more and more difficult, really. Admitting that L was someone he wanted to be around was hard and Light didn’t know when or why that happened. He suspected that it had something to do with how useless he felt, and that it was starting to affect other areas of his life.

He carefully and deliberately ignored that the thought of L being cute had been trapped in his head since the other night and wouldn’t leave. It’d made itself at home, frankly, and L kept going the cutest shade of pink around Light which made it so much worse.

His hair was a mess, though, so L was probably just embarrassed for him.

The tea at the edge of his table was blissfully warm when Light reached out to have some. Everything he did came with aches and pains, but he forced himself on. He’d be damned if he was taking time off, not when he felt like they were getting close to a breakthrough.

“Is the tea okay?”

Light snapped out of his own head and back into reality, his eyes drifting to L’s worried face. The reminder that L was suddenly cute smacked him across the face with the force of a pro-wrestler, and Light struggled for a moment to say anything.

“It’s… Fine. It’s warm.”

He felt completely horrified at his stupid response. Of course it was warm. L had literally just made it. He was screaming internally as L tilted his head.

“Yes, I’d assume so,” L said back. He looked amused, and Light was still screaming internally. “I’m glad you like it.”

He needed to say something un-moronic. Light searched his head for something that was relevant but not too much before apparently deciding to blurt, “Can you come to my apartment today instead of Matsuda?”

L paused, and Light mentally tried to remember how to tie a noose. 

“Of course,” L breathed. “That’s. That’s fine.”

“Matsuda talks too much,” Light tried to save. “And he woke me up by opening my fucking curtains.”

“We can get breakfast tomorrow morning,” L offered. “To make up for how terrible of a time you had with him.”

“I can hear you, you know,” Matsuda grumbled.

“Sounds good,” Light agreed. “I think I’ll try something with fruit tomorrow.”

When Light looked at L again, he was struck with a brand new terrifying thought as L’s glasses slipped down his nose and his face lit up like a Christmas tree.

L was stunningly handsome from the right angle.


	10. Father's Day Must Be Awkward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L continues in his mission to make sure Light doesn't tear his stitches by being his personal helper for the time being. This includes, but is not limited to, helping Light get blankets, making tea, and oh, yes, talking about family and the past. L's favorite thing to talk about, of all time. Matt, Mello, and Near continue their own mission to follow some mafia people to get information on Rod Ross, and see something unexpected...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? Posting in the morning? I know, I'm weirded out by it, too. Especially since I'm usually a zombie in the mornings, but today I had some time before work to post it! Plus, I don't know if I'll have the time to post it later today, so here we are. Thank you again for reading this fic!

L in his apartment was something that still made Light feel a bit odd. Maybe it was the way L didn’t seem to quite fit in with the decor, or the way he seemed a bit awkward in posture, but it never seemed to mesh very well when the two were put together.

Light sipped his tea and considered this conundrum with all due diligence, peppermint nipping at his tongue. Some dumb cop show was on, and L was watching it with too much focus, but that was okay with Light.

“That’s not how fingerprinting works,” L muttered as some deliriously ridiculous thing happened on TV. “And that’s certainly not how DNA testing works.”

“Did you see their interview earlier? That alone would’ve been thrown out,” Light tossed in. He took a small delight in watching L’s face contort into disgust.

“The one with the highly leading questions or the one where the detective hit the witness?” L asked. “Have any of the writers even been arrested? Just once?”

Light was leaning more towards the decor theory, frankly. He had a black blanket in the closet, and he debated asking L to go get it to test his hypothesis.

“Making out in the office violates many rules,” L continued as Light drifted more into his own head. “And it seems just unsanitary. In my experience, witnesses and suspects tend to vomit.”

“Can you bring me the black blanket in the closet?” Light piped up. “What happened to the heat from fall?”

L immediately hopped up and disappeared, and Light thought that maybe it was more about how awkward L was being. Had he been as awkward last time? Hmm, Light wasn’t sure. Another factor for Light’s brain was how much his arms itched, along with how much he wished he could actually do things. But his doctor had been clear, and likely mad that the last time Light had stitches, he’d torn them more than once.

This may have been over-precautionary, but Light had earned it.

L returned with the blanket, and he draped it over Light quietly before settling in himself. Light paused for another moment before pushing the end of the blanket with his foot.

“You can have that end,” Light pushed. The black was definitely helping L fit in, Light thought, but now L needed to relax and that wasn’t happening.

“I don’t need it,” L refused. Light sighed.

“Why’re you being so tense?” he groaned. “Don’t make me call Matsuda back.”

L jolted slightly at that and pulled the blanket over his legs, and he had to scoot in a bit to do so. He cleared his throat and adjusted himself before settling on tense again. Light nearly hit him.

“Seriously?”

“I’ve never been invited to someone’s house before,” L returned. “Last time I was here out of necessity. You asked me to be here this time.”

“Never?” Light exclaimed. “But didn’t you go to school? Like college, high school, all that?”

“I went to a private school from K through twelve,” L said with a shrug. “When you’re labeled as the freak from an early age and never leave that group, you don’t get invited anywhere.”

“Oh.” Silence fell over them awkwardly, and Light shook his head to be rid of it. “Where did you go to college?”

“Oxford.”

“ _Oxford_?!”

“Yes?” L chuckled out. “Watari wanted me to visit my birthplace, so I attended there.”

“Just casually attended Oxford, no big deal. And you’re English,” Light confirmed. “When did you move to America?”

“Watari brought me here when I was five. I don’t really remember much about it.” L laughed nervously a bit. “The one thing I do remember was being astounded at the sweets in America. When Watari took me to visit Texas, I nearly cried at the size of their pastries.”

“Is Watari your father?” Light asked, and L smiled in a way that gave him mixed messages. “Adoptive, though, right?”

“My parents died of mysterious causes,” L said. “Watari was friends with the chief who had the case. I don’t really remember the first time I met Watari anymore.”

Light processed it all before remembering the last time L’s parents came up, and he tilted his head. “Never took to viewing Watari as your dad, huh?”

“No,” L said with another chuckle. “He’s nearly old enough to be my grandfather, though, so maybe he’s grandfather.. But he never quite was Dad, even if _now_ he tries.”

Something about it broke Light’s heart. His own father was stern and hardly ever home, but Light knew him and could talk about all the times his father took Light to play at the park as a child. The thought of L not having that was oddly devastating, oddly heavy, and Light found himself sliding closer to L in what might have been comfort.

“Father's day was already awkward, but that makes it so much worse,” Light blurted out.

L finally laughed.

~~

L was starting to learn that the only thing that got Light out of bed was the promise of a freshly brewed pot of coffee. When he tried to get Light up without one, it would take L about six extra minutes to get Light going for the day. He was able to speed Light up even more if he purposely let Light wake up late, but that also came with the side-effect of being yelled at.

Now, his data was flawed as he hadn’t had too many days worth of data, but he was still confident he would continue to have a low p-value.

Light was particularly grumbly that morning, not having even bothered to try to brush his hair, as he sat in the small kitchen with his third cup of coffee. L hadn’t known Light was capable of consuming that much caffeine so quickly, but even more shocking was that consuming that much apparently did nothing for how alert Light was.

“Do you still want to go to breakfast today?” L asked as Light continued to mumble something to his coffee. “Or not this time?”

“Mmf,” Light intoned, and L tried so hard to keep the smile off his face, but he failed.

“I’m taking that as a no for now,” L warned. “Don’t be upset later with your decision.”

“Okay,” Light gurgled out, and L’s heart was doing some funny flips and tricks on its brand new skateboard. Light was a wreck, his eyes nearly fully closed still and everything about him a mess. L adored it.

“I’ll make more coffee,” L said as he moved into the kitchen. “Try to not fall asleep at the table.”

There was about a fifty percent chance he was going to have to wake Light up again. Light hated the mornings more than anyone L had ever met, and God if it wasn’t absolutely adorable. He came back with two more cups of coffee, and he came back just in time to see Light drifting off again.

“Stay awake, please,” L laughed out. He placed one mug in front of Light and watched Light’s eyes open back up. “You can sleep in the car.”

“Thanks,” Light mumbled as he drank another cup. L watched on for a moment before his voice leapt out of him, horrifically.

“You’re so cute in the mornings,” L said. “How do you function?”

He waited for Light to tell him off, waited for anything to happen, but Light just shrugged and continued to drink his coffee. L lamented his self-control that always seemed to die in Light’s presence before relaxing.

“I don’t, really,” Light said suddenly after a long time.

“Not at all,” L agreed as he sat down. “I never thought anyone could function this little.”

Light grumbled something, but it was a garbled mess of sounds that L couldn’t possibly decipher. It didn’t matter much, apparently, as Light calmed down almost immediately into another zombie state before he sighed.

“You’re cute, too,” Light mumbled quietly. “In a weird way.”

L spilled his coffee on his shirt.

~~

Near twirled another bit of hair around his finger for the thirteenth time. Matsuda sent him his fourth text message about something relating to L’s behavior, and Mello tossed his hair for the sixth time. Matt was on his eighth game of phone poker, and Near looked for new things to count.

It’d been sixteen-hundred seconds since they had parked in front of the bank. Well, one-thousand, six-hundred and twenty-three to be exact, but he was rounding for the sake of brevity. The Rubix Cube beside him had lost his interest too long ago when he’d formed all of his favorite patterns on it, and oh, five messages from Matsuda.

“This fucking sucks,” Mello complained. “We haven’t gotten anything from this.”

“It’s only been a few days,” Near said softly. “We weren’t expecting anything so soon, were we?”

“Shut it,” Mello snapped. “I’m just saying. I think this dude is boring. Who goes to the deli three times a day?”

“I just can’t believe it’s a real deli,” Matt sighed. “I totally thought there’d have been some sort of illegal drug op there.”

“And I can’t believe it’s not butter,” Mello sneered. “All we’ve got is a deli, some hookers, and his fucking grandma. Mafia dudes are fucking boring.”

Matt glanced down at photo of the man’s check they’d gotten earlier, open on his laptop in front of him. “Yeah, and he only deposited like forty bucks. Who takes thirty minutes to deposit forty bucks?”

Matt flickered through the bank’s security cameras and sighed as the man continued to hit on the poor bank teller. She looked annoyed, and Near could count seven taps of her fingers as she patiently talked to him. Near started tapping his own fingers against his knee.

“Doesn’t he have a meeting today?” Mello asked impatiently. “With someone higher up?”

“Yeah,” Matt confirmed. “He texted him that he was going to be late, though.”

“Fuck this guy, fucking hell.”

They sat there for another few minutes in silence following Mello’s outburst. When Near looked outside, his eyes widened as he caught the figure of a familiar person. He tapped the other two’s shoulders and pointed subtly, his head tilting.

“What the fuck,” Mello said as he picked the camera back up. He snapped a few pictures as she entered into the bank, Matt pulling up the cameras once more She walked calmly and swiftly, clearly stopping to ask to speak to an advisor. Near tilted his head the other way.

“This is a known Mafia run bank,” Matt sighed out. “Is she really that stupid?”

Kiyomi Takada looked like a woman on a mission as she spoke to the bank employee.

They spoke for a moment before Takada smiled and nodded. Her brown hair bobbed as she was led into a separate room, the bank worker falling all over himself to hold the door open for her. The three hesitated as Matt attempted to pull up the room’s camera, before sighing.

“That room isn’t monitored,” Matt sighed.

“Where are her bodyguards?” Near asked. “Why would she go out alone?”

“Shit, where’s the other guy?!” Mello screeched.

The man they had originally been following was gone, and Matt rushed around with CCTV cameras before sighing again.

“We suck, guys," Matt informed them gravely.

“We lost him?!” Mello yelled. “Fuck! Let’s get to the meeting place. We can catch up there.”

Near lingered in his mind on the bank as Mello hit about eighty miles per hour, somehow, on a busy L.A. road.


	11. Pride and Prejudice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L discuss a literary classic with minimal success, before Light realizes he probably has to quit his job to avoid the humiliation. Matsuda loves being right, and loves being of some help, in his own way. And L... Well, he continues to have the ongoing problem of "damnit, he's so attractive..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting in the morning again... I won't have the time to later today, so I decided to do it now instead. I hope y'all enjoy this chapter and also, thank you so so much for the lovely comments and kudos!
> 
> P.S. Light has dumb taste in reading and I love P&P.

“What on Earth are you reading?”

Light narrowed his eyes at the worn book in L’s hands, the cover torn at the edges and the pages yellowed. L having something weird and old was already an odd thing, with how clinical and hypoallergenic L seemed despite his own messiness, but the subject of the book was what mostly caught Light’s attention.

“ _Pride and Prejudice_ , Light. It’s on the cover.”

“Gee, really?” Light took his seat beside L. “I would never have known.”

L looked up, amusement lighting his face up as he looked to Light. It made something in Light want to poke it, but he easily pushed that urge aside. L shrugged a bit.

“It’s good,” he said by way of explanation. “Elizabeth is quite spunky. I like her.”

“Spunky?” Light huffed out. “I guess so.”

“Have you read it?” L asked excitedly, and Light sighed out.

“A while ago at Sayu’s insistence,” he said. “I didn’t take to it like she did, though.”

“Ah, you just have poor tastes, I see.” Light glared at L as the asshole chuckled a bit. “It’s okay, we all have something we lack.”

“Says the guy reading at work,” Light sniped. “I liked the main girl just fine, but the guy was just whatever. That killed it for me.”

L gasped like Light had said something horrific, and Light rolled his eyes. He waited patiently for L to finish his dumbass display before crossing his arms to show L he wasn’t amused.

“You don’t like Darcy?” L whispered like he was saying something horrible.

“...No?”

“Blasphemy,” L declared. “How awful. Darcy is a thoughtful and respectful man, and I thought you of all people would have understood that.”

“Jesus Christ, does this matter?” Light asked, but L was now on a roll. Light braced himself.

“Yes,” L confirmed. “This is absolutely the worst thing you have ever said to me. Hurry up. Tell me what you think his faults are, and I’ll see if they’re legitimate.”

Light didn’t want to respond to the obvious bait, but he took the completely obvious bait. L had been ignoring him for the book all day, and damnit if Light wanted the atten- The win. He wanted to win. Of course.

“He’s just depressing,” Light said. “Completely boring. He can’t go to anything, can’t interact with anyone, and didn’t he do something to the sister? Elizabeth could’ve done better.”

“Done better than a man who loves her for who she is? Who can give her whatever she wants?” L challenged further. “He separated Jane and Bingley for good reason, even if he turned out to be wrong.”

“Yes, but what girl would want an antisocial recluse? Just because he has money and some twisted morals that doesn’t- Oh, I see.” Light pinched the bridge of his nose. “I get it. You’re an asshole.”

L tilted his head to the side, his eyebrows appearing once more from the mop of hair. “Pardon?”

“Continue living out your fantasy,” Light dismissed. “Even if you could read it at home instead of here.”

“The lamp’s too dim in the living room,” L responded. “And you got mad at me for turning your light on while you were ‘trying to sleep.’ Where else am I supposed to read?”

Matt had once played the Wii Channel music to signify he was done. It played now in Light’s head as he attempted to not blush in the office, Matsuda’s expression behind L going from entertained to waggling eyebrows. Light was about to punch him.

“Your place?” Light somehow got out as he shot Matsuda a warning glare. “Wherever it is you were staying before you crashed at my place?”

L turned several shades of several different colors before settling back on his neutral and very fake bland one. “Oh, I mean, I could, I suppose,” he fluttered. “That’s the logical place.”

L had called him cute, Light’s brain decided to pipe up. And Light really had meant it when he said L was cute back. A flustered L was certainly cute, the humanity making L come alive for once. Light groaned internally.

“When are the other three getting back?” Light pinched out, frustrated at himself.

“Soon,” L continued to putter. “As I had been informed. They saw something worth noting, apparently, although they wouldn’t tell me what over the phone. Highly suspect that was Near’s doing although it may have been Mello, since I severely doubt Matt would’ve said anything unless-”

“L,” Light cut in. The slightly panicked look in L’s eyes was sweet, the long lashes and dark grey perfectly lit up by the rush of L’s mind. Light’s train of thought derailed with a flick of a switch, and they stared at one another for a long moment. “Um. Relax?”

Fucking hell, his voice just cracked. He was Light fucking Yagami, and his voice just cracked like a fucking teenager’s.

He turned away without waiting for an answer, totally humiliated.

~~

Matsuda wasn’t a complete idiot, despite popular belief. He knew when he others found him annoying, or found him attractive, or found him sorely unwanted.

Oh yes, he knew he was third-wheeling. He knew he was third-wheeling hard.

He was having fun with it, of course, by teasing Light whenever Light could find it in himself to even look at anything but L. However that wasn’t happening very often, and so Matsuda had been on Twitter for the past hour, trying to keep himself entertained.

Near wasn’t responding to his texts, although apparently for good reason. Matsuda debated asking Light for Misa’s number but had ultimately decided that would be too awkward. What else was he supposed to do?

Work?

As if that was happening.

He continued to scroll through his feed as L shifted in quiet panic and Light looked ready to die. For such supposed geniuses, they were both huge idiots, and Matsuda took a deep breath. He expected this shit from L, but goddamnit, who cared if Light’s type in men was. Well.

Older, vixen, and in the same profession.

Matsuda loved being right.

The clocked ticked to fifteen minutes since Light’s voice cracked (how iconic, Matsuda thought), and finally, Mello’s loud voice could be heard through the hallways.

“What a fucking waste! Who meets up with their mafia buddies just for some food?” Mello grumbled.

“...Most people?” Matt said back. “Like ninety-eight percent of people?”

“So you mean you just have some fuking mafia buddies?” Mello shot back as they walked in. “Jesus, Matt, do you know many mafia people?”

“Hello,” L sighed out as the trio filed in. Near twirled some hair as he clicked through the camera, looking for something specific, clearly. “Something interesting happen?”

“Matt is in the mafia,” Mello informed him. “Fucking bitch.”

“We saw Kiyomi Takada today,” Near spoke up. “At the bank. I’m looking for the photos now.”

“Takada?” Light asked. “Which bank? And her bodyguards were with her, right?”

Near flipped the camera around, and Matsuda stepped forward to see. They all crowded around the small screen, before L sighed out. Takada was clearly entering the bank, alone, and Matsuda shrugged.

“Maybe she just needed to get some cash?” he said. Light frowned.

“That bank’s far out of her way. And pretty much openly mafia owned.”

“And she’s unaccompanied here?” L muttered. “Seems like an odd choice.”

“Yes,” Near agreed. “I thought so as well. I thought it was important enough to warrant us coming back early.”

“...I thought you said she was intelligent?” Matsuda asked as he tilted his head. “This doesn’t strike me as the best of ideas?”

“No, she knew what she was doing,” Light said. Matsuda looked over to see L looking at Light and vice versa, and he sighed a bit. “She was there for a reason.”

“She also spoke privately to a banker,” Mello added in. “In a room with no security cameras, which is weird for a bank.”

“That’s quite odd,” L nodded.

Matsuda tilted his head a bit, the knowledge of what Light had said and what he had read about Takada slowly forming together in his brain. With a tiny ding, he opened his mouth. “Hey, uh. She has a really nice apartment, right?”

All eyes turned to him, and he saw them all ready to dismiss him. He pushed forward.

“Um… How does she afford it? And the guards?” Matsuda asked.

“...What?” Light bumbled.

“I mean,” Matsuda sighed. “You said once that she had a really nice place and bodyguards, but she told you she had to work through college. So it can’t be her parents money, right? So how’s she affording it all?”

There was another pause as everyone stared at him, and he swallowed heavily.

“I mean, I had to work my way through, too,” Matsuda sputtered. “And LA is expensive, especially those places. She’s been unemployed for several months, and look. Maybe it is her parents, but like… Again, why’d she have to pay for college herself then?”

“Oh my god,” Mello breathed. “Dumbass has a point.”

“And Demegawa said they were all talking about a woman,” Light added. “It’s a slim chance, but… We need to get into her bank records.”

“Mello, Near. Start surveilling her tomorrow,” L instructed. “And no arguing. I’m sure you two can get along for a bit. Matt, how long will it take you to get me all of the information you can on her?”

“This isn’t a TV show, man,” Matt sighed. “I don’t know if I can get you everything, and it’s going to take a bit.”

“That’s fine. Get what you can,” L waved off. “Light and I will need to speak to Misa. She’s been spending time with her, yes?”

“Because I asked her to,” Light said miserably.

“What about me?” Matsuda asked as L and Light shared a look. “What do you need me to do?”

“Assist wherever you can,” L dismissed. “Whether that means Near and Mello or Matt.”

Cold disappointment washed through Matsuda, but he accepted it. It’d been his idea, but he recognized that they were all better suited to each of the roles L had given them. It was just a tough pill to swallow.

“Got it,’ Matsuda said with a salute.

“Time is of the essence,” L reminded them all again.

Everyone hopped to it, except for Matsuda, who sat there quietly.

~~

If L were to be entirely honest, watching Light form various theories and carefully going through old information with his mind sharp and his tongue even sharper made L want to bend him over a fucking table and have his way with him. That was not suitable at the moment, though, so L was contenting himself instead with fantasies of finding some quiet closet where Light would blush and stumble over his normally careful words as L nibbled on his neck.

Was Light flirting with him? He’d caught him staring more than once by that point.

“Was he flirting with Light?” was the better question, but he ignored it for the moment. Whether he was or wasn’t didn’t matter when, in the grand scheme, everyone has to hit on Light Yagami at some point. He was a flawed perfection, and L couldn’t really fathom of anyone not having a ridiculous crush on Light.

Light hitting on someone else was an entirely new thing, one that wouldn’t be a constant, and L could hope, couldn’t he?

Besides, Light had called him cute.

“Misa says she’ll meet us tomorrow afternoon,” Light broke into L’s thoughts. “At her place.”

“Prepare yourself,” L said comfortingly. Light groaned a bit but smiled slightly.

“She’s… Getting better,” he sighed.

L scooted his chair a bit closer, before putting his hand on Light’s shoulder in mock camaraderie, a small laugh escaping Light with it. Light put his head in his hands and leaned against the table, and L noted that Light was getting stronger once more lately. He wouldn’t need L there anymore, and what a lonely thought.

“How did we not notice?” Light suddenly asked, and L jumped slightly. It only took him a fraction of a second to get Light’s meaning.

“It’s only around a six percent chance,” L soothed. “It’s highly unlikely.”

“Something tells me this is it, though.”

L could relate. Takada had the drive, and maybe even the motive. They still needed to look into the mayor as well, but he was proving to be very difficult to get information on. All L had been able to learn about him was that he was a lazy, arrogant man who skated by on his money.

“We’ll see where the evidence leads us,” L continued. The same discomfort he always felt when attempting to help anyone was building in him, but he batted it aside. “Although, I don’t think I could handle it if Matsuda discovered it before us.”

That got L a laugh, and L finally realized he’d never pulled his hand away. Gently, he moved back, only to have Light follow him in what L suspected was an unconscious way. Not that he was complaining as Light’s arm brushed his own, something about it making L’s previous fantasies turn much too soft and much too romantic.

“I would have to resign, I think, if Matsuda got it before me,” Light joked. “That’d just be too much shame.”

“We’d all have to,” L remarked. “Even Watari.”

They were silent for a moment following, and L was about to forcibly make himself move away when Light decided to look at him. L’s breath caught in his throat for a long moment before he felt his word vomit spring up.

“The LAPD would be a sore sight to see if they lost their handsomest detective,” L puttered out. “I do hope Matsuda is wrong.”

Why did L keep getting himself into the situations? Why couldn’t he keep control of himself for a few goddamn seconds around Light? That was an open flirtation, and L couldn’t even deny it, and god, he was part of the milieu. Just another one of the masses.

Light looked as shocked as L felt, the poor man, and he took a very long moment before he spoke. 

“Please… I’m not even the most attractive in this room,” he croaked.

Light’s eyes bore into his, and with a heated flash, L took his meaning with extreme clarity and severe disbelief. There was a ringing in his ears, and he was fairly certain he was having a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms include difficulty breathing, chest pains, numbness of limbs-

“I know Matsuda is cute, but frankly he’s not my type,” L vomited once more.

Light unexpectedly laughed so hard he fell out of his chair.

~~

Oh, _shit_ , Light realized with horrific speed.

He was flirting with him.


	12. EDM Is a Life Saver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misa and L in the same room together is already a nightmare for Light without any other context. L hitting on Light while Misa is present is a whole new ball game, one that he has no idea how to handle in the long run. Especially when L and Misa are now getting along... L finds himself waxing poetic, and in much to mushy of a state over an arrogant man. And Matt? Matt just wants some fucking peace and quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I just post in the mornings now... I just never seem to have time in the afternoons anymore. Also I'm totally willing to admit that this chapter was a hell of a lot of self-indulgence. But isn't this entire fic that? I'm just indulging myself for fun. Anyways, enjoy!

Rationality is the best approach to any subject you’re not immediately familiar with. It can make so many topics clear and straightforward while also answering any potential questions with its beautiful reach. Rationality is something to be regarded, therefore, as the godly trait it is.

Rationality, however, could not explain why Light Yagami was hitting on… _Him_.

Misa’s couch was large and soft, the pastel pink matching most else in the room. He stood out like a sore thumb in his dark green button-up and black slacks, but God _fucking_ damnit, why did L match the sweet colored furniture like he was the centerpiece of it all?

L was sitting with his legs pulled up to his chest and chewing on the end of his pen, his hair (his life) a mess and his clothes loose and ridiculous and damn it all. Damn it all, Light still found him attractive. It was the worst, the absolute worst, and he prayed for himself to whatever deity would listen.

Light had fucking _awful_ taste in men.

“Your apartment is quite nice, Misa,” L said as she brought out some cookies. “It’s… Candy flavored.”

“Yes! I love the looks of cakes and pastries,” Misa giggled. “What’s more inviting than sweets, right?”

“Absolutely nothing,” L assured her as he grabbed several of the cookies. To Light’s horror, he started eating them in the most ridiculous fashion, crumbs spilling everywhere. “Although I’m sure Light would argue that.”

“I prefer earth tones,” Light grumbled. “Sue me.”

“He just has different likes than us,” Misa chirped. “He’s more serious than we are.”

“Sadly, it suits him, doesn’t it?” L sighed as Misa sat down in the soft blue chair across from them, he head bobbing in agreement.

“Thank you,” Light mumbled a bit as L smiled at him. He gripped his mug of coffee a bit harder.

“Facts don’t require thanks,” L said bluntly, and Light held a bit tighter. “Such as Misa did a fine job baking these cookies.”

“Pfft, it’s the only thing I know how to make,” Misa pouted. “I never have the time to learn anything else. Light’s really good at it, actually!”

“He is?” Light was being stared at with great interest, and he coughed quietly.

“My mother taught me.” Light looked at L again, his face flushing without his permission at the highly pleased look in L’s eyes. “I’ll bake something for you, if you’ll help me.”

Ugh. God. Light wanted to smack himself at just how pathetic he was, especially as L’s pleased look turned shocked and excited, and Light basked in it.

“Well,” Misa cut in to the staring contest, “you’re not just here to visit me, you two! Let’s get to it!”

“Ah,” L said as he cleared his throat. “Sorry, Light was distracting me.”

“I was what-?”

“He’s very distracting,” Misa agreed, before she pulled a blanket over her legs. “So what’s up?”

Light took a sip of his coffee to ground himself a bit more, before mentally shaking away the past and _damnit, Light, stop blushing_.

“We have a few questions about anything you may have noticed in your time with Takada,” L said as Light tried to pull himself together. “And of course, we need you to not tell her.”

“Yeah, of course,” Misa said. “Kiyomi’s pretty reserved, though, so I don’t know if I’ll be much help.”

“Anything you can tell us is fine,” Light added. “Even if it seems silly.”

Misa thought for a moment before shrugging. “Mostly, Kiyomi seems to ignore me. I think she finds me annoying or something! When I’m there, she just spends all of her time on her phone instead of talking to me, but when I ask if she wants me to go, she always says no. It’s super frustrating!”

“Always on her phone?” L asks. “Do you know why?”

“Dunno. I think it’s a guy, though.” She took a thoughtful bite of a cookie before sighing through her nose. “Like, a girl wouldn’t be named Reiji, right? Like that’s a guy’s name, yeah?”

“Reiji?” Light repeated. “Do you know anything about Reiji?”

“Nope, just that Kiyomi texts him a lot. Oh, maybe he’s her boyfriend!”

Light looked over at L, the same thought passing their minds. Getting her cell phone records was a must. Whoever it was could just be a friend, especially since they didn’t actually have any evidence against her, but Light had a strange gut feeling.

“Maybe,” Light agreed. “We’ll need to look into it.”

“Hopefully it’s nothing,” Misa shrugged. “I kind of like her, y’know? She’s got that elegant thing about her. I wish I were like that!”

“But doesn’t she not like you?” L chuckled out, and she laughed a bit.

“Yeah, but still. She’s so pretty! Kind of reminds me of Light, actually.”

“He is rather pretty.”

“I’m right here,” Light interjected in embarrassment. “I can hear you.”

“Light, you’re pretty,” L said bluntly, and Light glared at L’s teasing tone.

“What happened to handsome?” Light challenged petulantly, and L’s ears went a stunning scarlet. It was essentially a victory.

“You’re that, too!” Misa said happily, unaware of what Light was referring to. “You’re just good looking.”

“Anyways,” L cut back in, “let’s return to the topic at hand.”

Light smirked before turning back to Misa, the victory finally squashing out his humiliation.

~~

Light had opened Pandora’s Box, it seemed, in L. He practically couldn’t stop once Light had given him the okay, and was this how people felt when they were totally elated? When they were shocked but terribly happy with the result?

Light was responding, even if it wasn’t verbal. The blushes and the demure tones told L all he needed, and Light had practically shot L straight through the heart when he’d invited him so quietly. L had barely held it together.

Did Light have some interest in him?

The thought was so torturous, and so tempting, that L nearly couldn’t stand the weight of it. It made his chest heave with a passion he hadn’t even realized he had when his mind drifted to the potential of a yes, and his limbs would droop with an odd ease with it. He was tense and yet not, an odd and fine edge to his every move.

Telling himself no would’ve been the smart thing to do and would likely save himself hurt down the road. But as it was, L threw himself head first into hoping and didn’t bother to look back.

What would he even do if Light were into him? What exactly did dating entail? Was L even sure this was entirely what he wanted?

To the last, his entire being screamed a resounding “yes” at him, and he quickly tossed the offending thought aside.

Well, dating meant doing things together, didn’t it? Even if he himself had never had a date before, he remembered when his roommates would. Wasn’t that what he and Light essentially already did, anyways? Was dating even much different from close friends?

What a sweet dream it would be to have Light ask L, to boldly look L in the eyes and invite him out. Sweeter than any pastry for sure. Although, frighteningly, L had come close to popping, come close to saying so many things to Light because he simply couldn’t help it anymore.

Light was already so much better than any cake L had ever had, with soft hair and even softer skin, and if L cared to, he could wax poetic about Light’s eyes. If he cared to, he could wax poetic about any feature of Light’s body, frankly, with how stunningly gorgeous Light was. He simply preferred to be blunt.

And, oh, how he could never be bored with Light. How absolutely breathtaking Light was in his sharp remarks. How magnetic Light was when he was teasing. How cold L felt when Light was turned away. No wonder Misa was still not over Light, L thought, when Light was someone who could talk forever, about any number of subjects, with such depth. L himself knew he may never get over Light if Light rejected him, not when he was so incredible.

He should likely be actually paying attention to the focal point of his affections, but his own musings felt so fanciful and ecstatic that it was hard to leave them, the smothering humidity of desire choking him nonstop and pulling him in and out of the world around him. It was tricky to unravel it’s fingers from his throat, but he eventually heard Light float back into his perception.

“And I’ll build a fucking rocket ship and fly to goddamn space,” Light was saying blandly. “Because apparently I’m not even here, I suppose.”

“What?” L asked as he snapped more fully back to the present. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“...Eugh,” Light sighed out. “Have you been listening to me at all?”

“Ah. Well.” L scratched the back of his neck as Light glared at him, his nerves skyrocketing like always. Light was much too pretty, much too sharp, and L wanted to kiss him. “My apologies. I was lost in thought for a long while there.”

“Really? I never would’ve guessed,” Light snarked. “Other than you not answering any of my questions.”

“Oh,” L coughed out. “Again, my apologies.”

“Whatever,” Light huffed. “What’s got you so distracted anyways? Because I was talking about the case, and if you were thinking about it, you would’ve listened. ...And you were smiling weirdly.”

“Er,” L scrambled a bit. His ears were hot and he was pretty sure his face was too, as he attempted to figure out an appropriate excuse. “Personal matters. Of a… Personal kind.”

Light raised an eyebrow before letting out another huff. “Personal matters of a personal kind?”

“...Yes?”

“Did you hit your head?” Light asked, his tone turning the tiniest bit more mocking, and L nearly whined.

“No, when would I? We were together all day; surely you’d know,” he choked out.

Light leaned further back in his desk chair, his arms crossed as he looked at L. His eyes were narrowed still, but they weren’t necessarily glaring. Instead, Light was assessing L, like he was looking for clues about what was up.

It was absurdly attractive.

“Can I help you?” L finally snarked back as he tried to turn away.

“It was something embarrassing, wasn’t it?” L felt his skin get goosebumps as Light frowned. “Which is highly unusual for you.”

“It’s not impossible, though,” L dismissed. “Let’s not discuss it further.”

“Fine,” Light huffed as he turned back to his own work. “Don’t tell me what’s distracting you. I don’t need to know, I guess.”

Light was pouting, and slowly, L was slipping back into the awful fuzzy feelings he had been so stuck on as of late.

The feeling of wanting to tell Light banged around in his head a bit louder.

~~

Matt was done with all of this. He was absolutely and completely done. He may not have gotten it at first, but only an idiot wouldn’t get it now- or if their name was Mello- and he wanted to disappear every time they were at headquarters.

Matt slunk further in his seat, his music at full volume still not enough to kill the sexual tension in the room. And he thought that Skrillex was the number one turn-off, ever (or so Mello had once said). Although, he could at least grant that they couldn’t hear it, maybe, even if it pounded in his ears.

L was fucking horrific at flirting, and that made Matt want to McFucking Die.

He was apparently the type who flirted via being as obvious as possible, no matter how much it damaged the sanity of everyone else in the room. All Matt had wanted to do was his fucking job. That’s all. He had just wanted to illegally access a woman’s bank records and move on with his life.

Watching someone who is essentially your older brother hit on the office haughty was a fucking nightmare. He didn’t recommend the experience to fucking anyone.

Matt hated that he was fairly adept at reading lips. Every time he looked up, L was complimenting Yagami in some way, to the point that even Matsuda had retreated across the room to escape them. Hell, even Yagami himself was cringing at L’s attempts.

But the absolute worst part of it all? The part that made Matt want to stab himself through the eye with a pen? Yagami clearly didn’t hate it, even if he cringed. Dear lord, he even seemed to enjoy it, even threw back some much more practiced and much more subtle (and embarrassed) lines of his own.

Matt wanted to bang his head on his desk until he couldn’t see anymore. He’d settled for taking his goggles off about ten minutes ago in a vain attempt to not have to deal with this shit anymore. And you know what?

It still hadn’t helped.

He could still make out the L shaped blob in the Yagami shaped blob’s personal space. Every now and then, he could vaguely make out what may have been a hand or a mitten rest on what was definitely Yagami blob’s arm, his shirt un-thankfully a nice and distinguishable red from the environment around it. Even without his goggles, he could see way too much, and he wanted to beg L to stop. Touching. Yagami.

For five minutes.

Please.

Matt sighed as he squinted at his screen some more, the letters just barely separating into different characters. Somewhere, deep down, he was probably happy for them, but right now, at the surface? He was annoyed, and developing a migraine.

And, to top it all off, this was not going well. Their security system was frustratingly good, and while Matt would’ve been able to admit that was a good thing for a bank, today was not the day he wanted to do so. Another sigh escaped him as he typed another line of code, before the song ended over his headphones.

“Surely tennis isn’t all you do?” he heard L say. “Perhaps martial arts? You’re quite str-”

More EDM kicked in, and he nearly gagged. Even Mello was a better flirt than L.

His phone buzzed, and Matt dragged it out before shoving it much too far in his face to see what he’d been sent.

_can i borrow some headphones?_

It was Matsuda. Matt’s heart went out to him, the poor dude. He’d had to hear them this entire time.

_ye cmere n get sum_

_thanks man_

Matt dug out his extra pair from his backpack as the Matsuda blob approached, and shoved it towards what became more and more clearly Matsuda’s hands. Even his blind ass could see the relief roll off Matsuda in waves as he walked back to his spot near the corner once more.

Should he tell Watari to say something? Should he say something? Should anyone say anything?

If only Mello were there, he thought as he went back to hacking. The numbers in front of him swirled a bit, hours upon hours of staring at it all adding up. When was the last time he slept…?

God, he was tired.


	13. Father-Son Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watari attempts to do the unthinkable: Father and Son Bonding. It goes about as well as expected, which is to say it fails miserably, considering Watari is so goddamn annoyed with L. L is sulking, like usual, and if only that idiot overgrown brat would just finally make a move...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about this weird posting time, just flat out. This is really the only time I have open to post for a few days, and I really wanted this chapter to get posted! You'll see why, I promise... Thank you again for reading!

“It’s a burner phone, but she’s called it nearly thirty times in the last four weeks,” Matt sighed out. The others all sat in front of him, watching his slideshow with a nearly disturbing amount of focus, especially from Near. “If I could venture a guess, this is the Reiji guy. Misa said she was texting him all the time, and I’m betting that she calls him, too.”

“A burner phone? That’s certainly suspicious,” L mumbled. “What else?”

“She also called a few other numbers, one of which I did trace back to the grandmother of Jack Neylon.”

“Ross’s second in command,” Light groaned. “Jesus Christ.”

“Wow, I was right?” Matsuda chirped.

“I wouldn’t say this is definitive evidence to say you were, since it’s still pretty out there, but… This definitely is suggesting it,” Matt said. “Like, what you suggested was insane, but y’know. Here we are.”

“And any luck with the bank?” L asked next, and Matt shook his head.

“Not yet. They’ve got pretty tight security, and honestly, that wouldn’t even be admissible evidence in court anyways. After wasting hours on their systems, I went through more public records like vehicles she’s bought, past addresses, that sort of thing.” Matt clicked to the next slide. He stifled a yawn. “She was living in your basic student housing before where she is now, drove a ten year old car.”

“And now she has personal fucking bodyguards and a penthouse suite,” Mello grumbled. “Definitely a suspicious and goddamn sudden salary change.”

“I’ll be into the bank’s systems by later today most likely,” Matt said as he nodded at Mello. “I don’t think it’s going to be worth it, but I can have that. I doubt Takada is the kind to have any reason to have IRS on her ass.”

“My god, I have to quit the force,” Yagami groaned, and L startled everyone by bursting out laughing. Matt shot them a confused look before L cleared his throat in an attempt to calm himself and looked up, although he kept glancing at the highly amused Yagami. “We need special paperwork to be able to use it in court, so I agree. It’s probably useless.”

“We should get the footage from her apartment building,” Near suggested as the room ignored Yagami. “But we also still haven’t ruled out the mayor as a suspect.”

“Yes, I agree,” L said. “Which is why Matsuda will monitor him for a bit.”

Matsuda’s head popped up, excitement obvious on his face. “I will?”

“I don’t think he’s involved anymore, personally,” L dismissed, “but we must rule out the possibility entirely. We have limited resources, so I have to send you.”

“Ouch,” Matsuda whined a bit. “I’ll do a good job, I swear.”

“Light and I will stay behind to watch the tapes of her building,” L informed them all. “Keep up the good work.”

It was such a rare thing to be praised by L. Matt, Mello, and Near all shared a look of validated solidarity. They all felt the warmth of pride before L tilted his head again and frowned.

“Matt, try to find out more about these phone numbers she has. Somewhere in here has to be this Reiji, and I agree, I suspect it’s the burner phone number. And just to make sure… These were obtained in a way that could be used in court, yes?” The last part was said to Yagami, something about it entertaining to L, but Yagami looked ready to yell at him.

“Okay,” Matt nodded. “I can get more details on it, see if I can determine anything. Maybe even attempt a phone call. And yes, I got a warrant expedited. Most of the things I do are legal, I swear.”

“As expected. Just don’t spook him,” L agreed. “I want to know who he is, and why he and Takada keep very constant contact.”

“I’ll have that for you as soon as I can,” Matt said back.

“Good,” L said as he sighed. The others had already started milling about, heading off to their various tasks. “Because I doubt she’s doing anything legal. But let’s still try to get her bank records. It may not be admissible, but it’ll lead us somewhere.”

Matt groaned softly. “I don’t know, L… This is pretty dangerous. We’re lucky I’m that good but. If they spot me in there, that’s dangerous.”

L looked at him blandly, and Matt knew, then and there, that he was about to get way more tired.

“I trust you,” L said.

“And right now, I hate you,” Matt replied.

L gave him one last look before he got up and moved away.

~~

Watari had come to grips long ago that his ward was a child no longer. It was the cruel march of time that had taken the sweet, horrifically morbid child from him, and it had been hormones that took the rest. He was used to it, had accepted it, but even so, he found the feeling of injustice rear its ugly, parental head.

L and Watari sat at the table together, their lunches spilled out before them, and L was sulking that Light was at the doctor’s office instead of there. L had attempted to go with hm, like a hovering and clingy boyfriend, but Light had put his foot down and called a Lyft.

“What if he had given our location away?” L was complaining, and Watari prayed to the Lord that L would drop the subject already. “What if that had been someone sent to kill him again?”

“He met them at the McDonald’s down the street,” Watari soothed for the hundredth time. “And we were given the driver’s information. Light’s accident had been almost random, L. He was an obvious cop in a gang owned bar.”

“Yes, but,” L whined, “I could’ve just driven him. He even could have asked you, if it was me that he wanted to get away from so badly.”

“He likely just wants some time to himself for a bit.” But L was looking hurt, and Watari swallowed down a sigh. “After all, he hasn’t had any time alone in several days, now has he? I do believe he is the type who would tell you if he were avoiding you.”

Part of Watari’s heart went out to L, the poor idiot. That was his son, his sulky and insecure son, who just wanted the boy to like him. It was so painfully relatable, Watari having been in the same position several times himself over the years, and he wished he could whisk away those fears for him.

Another much larger part of Watari was simply annoyed.

“Not unless he thought it would make him lose status with the others,” L pouted. “He’s quite manipulative that way.”

Watari wanted to shake L, really. The boy was flirting with L, plain as day, and there was no way it was faked. In fact, it was so saccharine and sweet that Watari had been purposefully avoiding the main room because of it.

“I think he’s earned the benefit of the doubt, don’t you?” Watari said. “He is quite an independent young man, and he likely just wanted to be so.”

“Without me.”

“...And you do realize the meaning of independent, yes?”

“I just don’t like this,” L replied, as his pout deepened. “I feel like something is going to go wrong.”

Besides, if Watari were being honest, and he really was, the entire subject was awkward. He didn’t actually wish to discuss Light Yagami with L, not after. Well. That’s something Watari didn’t want to remember. That had been too much of a reminder that L was an adult, and even now Watari was still avoiding L as well a little bit.

“That’s called worry,” Watari chuckled out. “You will get used to it.”

“Very funny,” L grumbled. “I know what worry is. And if we’re saying I’m worried, then you’re saying I’m also fretting. I’m not fretting over Light.”

“We have very different definitions of fretting, then,” Watari tossed back. “Your vocabulary is much larger than mine, however. Perhaps I was wrong.”

L glared in the way he had since he was a child, before putting his head on his arms and sighing heavily. He balanced his arms on his knees, and he looked so small that Watari almost felt a bit less annoyed.

Almost.

“You think I’m being immature,” L said. “But you don’t want to say it. Why?”

“Because this is your relationship, not mine,” Watari replied. “But yes, I believe you need to learn to give Light space, considering you want this relationship to go further.”

Ah, blissful, awkward silence. L coughed awkwardly. 

“I… I suppose.”

Watari found himself, against the odds, smiling at the pouting ball in front of him. He had to remind himself several times that this was new for him, before the annoyance started to die down a bit. And, perhaps, he’d had to count to ten several times.

“Why don’t you ask him to dinner?” Watari suggested lightly, even if L looked horrified by it. “Maybe go somewhere a bit nicer?” L looked like he’d eaten something bitter.

“You’re my guardian,” L begged. “I don’t need dating advice.”

“I don’t know,” Watari said with a small laugh. “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do? Embarrass you? Besides, I like him. I would be perfectly happy with seeing him when I visit you.”

L fell to silence while Watari restrained the eye-roll he had been desperately holding in from the first moment. L coughed again.

“I’m leaving,” L finally said as he cleared up his half-eaten sushi. “You can return to your paperwork in peace.”

“Maybe one day I’ll call him son-in-law,” Watari continued nearly maliciously. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

L slammed the kitchen door behind him on the way out.

~~

Even if L hated it, Watari wasn’t exactly wrong on multiple accounts. L recognized somewhere, deep down, that Light needed some space given that they had been around each other nearly twenty-four hours a day for a week. He was probably supposed to be giving Light more space, such as the walk back to the warehouse, except L had given up on pretending he didn’t want to see Light sooner.

He slurped his McCafe drink obnoxiously, Light’s voice telling him off in his head for being so rude and annoying, as he waited. He was letting his mind wander, as it liked to, but this time it brought him nothing but anxiety.

The idea of dinner was much too tempting. Light in the soft glow of twilight, looking at him from over some white clothed table… It made L’s chest seize up, made him feel so terribly human, and he was tempted.

If Light even agreed, of course.

Which led to the one thing making him hesitate. That lump in his throat and chest that said that he was just lining himself up to get hurt, that L was going to be a coward, and that Light would never, in a million years, agree to such a thing.

Oh, hello, insecurity, his old friend.

His heart nearly popped like a balloon when he saw a car pull in and Light stepped out, Light unfairly gorgeous like always. He slurped more on his drink to calm down, but it didn’t help when Light walked over.

“I can walk myself back, y’know,” Light said as he approached. “My arms were injured, not my legs.”

“I wanted some sunshine myself,” L lied. “And a drink.”

“...Sure.” Light looked at L’s coffee drink suspiciously. “And that doesn’t sicken you?”

“It’s quite delicious,” L replied. Without thinking, he held it out a bit towards Light. “Do you want to try some?”

There was a pause as Light looked about to puke before he shook his head. “I think I’m good, thanks.”

“Your loss.” L started walking back towards their work location, Light falling into step beside him. Each step sounded like a drum in L’s head, making him feel more and more ill. He tried desperately to shake it off. “Did they remove the stitches?”

Light showed L his arms, and L found his hand on it without even thinking. He turned Light’s arm every which way, until Light was laughing a bit and pulling back.

“Okay, I’m cutting you off now,” Light snickered.

“I was just. Ah. Curious,” L fumbled.

“About what?” L flushed a bit more, as Light looked at him. “If my arm is even still here?”

“I was concerned about you. Some may even say fretting,” L whined with a horrified wince. “I was checking on you.”

“Sure, I believe you,” Light teased. It made L’s heart stumble around drunkenly in his chest. “It was just concern, of course.”

“I like your arms,” L said like an idiot. “You use them to play tennis with me. I had to check on them.”

Light started laughing a bit harder, and L wanted to die from embarrassment. How did he always do this? Why couldn’t he be smooth, like when he’d been at Misa’s?

Or was he just tricking himself? Had he not been smooth there, too?

“Well, you certainly don’t need a caretaker anymore,” L said in an attempt to move away from his humiliation. “So I’ll drive you home today and then you can drive yourself.”

“Oh,” Light suddenly sobered. L felt like he had whiplash as Light looked away. “Yes, that’s right.”

“Did you like having me there?” L said in a rush, and he nearly smacked himself.

Light physically stopped walking, and L looked back at him in horror. Light shared the same look L must have had, eyes wide and mouth open, while L could hear himself internally screaming. He wondered if Light could hear the screaming, too.

“You don’t have to answer,” L sped on. “That was a very silly question for me to ask.”

“I mean,” Light started. He stopped and cleared his throat. “It wasn’t. Um.”

What a pair they must have made. Two idiots speaking in vague sentences, both looking like someone had just told them there was zombie-infected blood in L’s coffee. L stared at Light and attempted to figure out a way out of this all.

“Just ignore it, it’s fine-”

“I liked having you there.”

Something that sounded like the whine of a fucking donkey left L’s mouth as his throat decided this was the time to close up for good. L’s drunken heart paused to vomit in his left lung, the weight and heat killing him a bit.

“I see,” L finally choked out. “That’s wonderful.”

Light nodded tensely before walking on, a faster pace than before. L cleared his throat again and had to jog a step or two to catch up.

“Well, so, er, the doctor said I just can’t strain myself,” Light said as he tried to ease himself. Somewhere in L, he relished at how much that must have taken for Light to tell him that, and it sent a spark through all of his limbs. “So I can’t play tennis for a while yet. Sorry.”

“That’s fine,” L said back. “You can just go to dinner with me.”

Why did L always just slip everything out? Yet another round of horror started up in his head, especially as Light stopped once more, and L found himself far more desperate to correct this one.

“I’m- No, that was- Please ignore- Oh, _fuck_ ,” L rambled. Light just stared at him, his entire face a deep shade of red that made L want to die. “That was not how I intended to ask you.”

“ _What_?” Light blurted. L went back over what white noise had come out of his mouth before he went as red as Light.

“Please just kill me,” L begged. “It would be so very much faster.”

He had rendered Light entirely speechless, apparently. Light’s hands fluttered around a bit, but no sound really left his mouth. Every second that ticked by made L’s nerves shift a notch higher into overdrive, and was he sweating? By god, he was sweating horrifically. His shirt was clinging to him, and surely Light could see it.

“I’m sorry,” L found himself saying. “This was a very huge mistake.”

That seemed to snap Light out of his trance, and Light glared at him more harshly than ever before. L jumped from it, entirely unsure what made Light so mad. Light’s emotions in general, it seemed, were bouncing around everywhere.

“Can I even have a moment to process?” Light snapped. Ah, L had insulted Light’s pride and vanity it seemed, and he went to speak again. “No, shut up!”

Thoroughly told off, L shut his mouth and waited. He was a man on death row, waiting for Light to flick the switch and electrocute him to death in that moment. Light himself seemed to be having some sort of inner monologue going, possibly his speech to the poor public watching such a show, until finally, Light looked at him again.

“It better be a _nice_ restaurant,” Light huffed with ferocity, his verdict being cast. “Or I swear, I will fucking go home.”

L hadn’t realized Cupid was working with a shotgun these days. There was no way that was just a bow and arrow.


	14. Never Stopped You Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L's in a bit of shock, honestly. He's in shock and he doesn't know what to do. What the hell is he supposed to wear? Where should he take Light? Dear lord, is he really supposed to watch this many hours of tapes? Light is more embarrassed than anything, and someone, please... Let Matt take a break for a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Light Yagami! I needed to post something for today, to celebrate. Also, I'm sure y'all already noticed, I have this fic fully written out. It's so weird for me! I'm not ready to leave this universe... Thank you for reading, and please come bother me on twitter or tumblr!

Takada’s apartment building had given them far more than they were expecting in regards to security footage. What they had asked for was the footage from the hallway of specifically her apartment and the front lobby, but instead they got the hallway, the front lobby, the back alley, and even, for some forsaken reason, the gym. It was a nightmare, a complete and utter nightmare, but L and Light both exchanged a look.

“I’ll take the lobby and the back alley?” Light suggested.

“Yes, and I’ll take the gym and the hallway.”

“I’m probably supposed to be much happier that they’re so willing to help us,” Light sighed out. “But I’m really not.”

“We asked for only two places, but they gave us too much. Instead of being helpful, they’re being cumbersome,” L confirmed. Light took a moment to groan as L looked suddenly sly. “But please, don’t worry… I won’t look at anyone in the gym.”

“What?” Light asked. He furrowed his brows. “That’s your literal job?”

L pouted for some unknown reason, and Light sighed again. He knew in that moment that L had some inane answer prepared.

“I was being flirtatious,” L sulked. “I was saying I’ll only look at you.”

“Dear God,” Light mumbled. “We’re at work.”

“Never stopped you before,” Matt said from his corner.

Light and L both jumped ridiculously as they, with lightning speed, remembered that they were in fact sharing a space with someone else still. Matt sighed as he continued typing something on his laptop.

“You’re not wearing headphones today,” L said to Matt. Matt looked up to briefly stare blankly.

“I broke them yesterday,” Matt muttered. Light longingly thought about the void of space. “I guess some form of congratulations are in order?”

“Well, going back to the tapes,” Light cut in frantically, “we really do need to get started on these.”

“Ah, Matt,” L fumbled a bit. His ears went that shade of red Light had been fascinated with for the past half an hour or so. Matt went back to typing furiously, his posture horrific and almost sad.

“Whatever,” Matt said as he went back to typing, and Light felt the embarrassment try to choke him. “I hate this bank, and I’m just tired, okay?”

“Tapes, yes, tapes are important,” L said as he spun back towards Light. Awkward tension wrecked Light internally as L rubbed the back of his neck. “Should we get back to tapes?”

“Yes, please,” Light begged. “I’m deeply sorry, Matt.”

Matt looked back up again, and Light suddenly wondered when the last time Matt slept was. Matt shrugged.

“I’ll go somewhere else if you want,” Matt offered, and Light nearly died on the spot.

“That’s extremely unnecessary,” L luckily said. Light doubted he could’ve said anything at the moment. “We’ll be over here. Watching tapes.”

“Stop saying tapes,” Light hissed. It was the only thing he could get out, and he was fairly certain it was the only thing he’d say for most of that day.

Matt rolled his eyes and turned away, again waving them off as he did so. “Whatever, dude,” he said.

A silence fell over them all as Light and L attempted to restart their brains, both sharing the horrific embarrassment together. Light almost reconsidered what he had agreed to, almost reconsidered the entire date, until L looked at him shyly.

“...Tapes?” L asked.

Light smacked L’s arm angrily.

~~

There was so little that ever happened in tapes that it was ridiculous, really. They had all of them, going up to a month prior, but nothing ever really happened in them. The only comfort L had was that Light was watching the same amount of nothing he was, while looking great doing it.

Light Yagami agreed to a date with him. With him!

If he had thought he had been nervous before, he was so completely wrong. So hugely, atrociously wrong. Everything had to be perfect, absolutely stunning, and when was he even supposed to be taking Light?

In his panic, he’d never even set a day.

A man walked down the hallway on screen and entered his own apartment, a woman trailing along behind him, and L felt his chest constrict as she leaned in and kissed him. They were both dressed up, both clearly a bit drunk, and God, would Light kiss him?

He needed to purchase mints. That was an absolute certainty.

And what would he wear?

He mentally smacked himself for sounding like such an idiot. It wouldn’t matter what he wore. He wanted to be comfortable, and wearing anything but his usual would be uncomfortable. Nothing else beyond that mattered.

But would it matter to Light?

With a sad mental sigh, he realized yes, it probably would. Light was likely expecting something closer to the movies than anything, which freaked L out even more. He had no idea how to be charming or suave, not really, not towards someone L really wanted to impress.

He blurts. He sits oddly. He chews on his thumb.

Why would Light ever have agreed to it?

He continued to watch an empty hallway for another long moment before he pulled his phone from his pocket and opened up the chat he had with Light. He tapped rapidly, intent on not disturbing Matt any further.

He really needed to check in on Matt, he thought vaguely.

_Can you do tomorrow?_

Short and simple, and Light would know what it meant, right? He wouldn’t have to explain further.

_Tomorrow for what?_

Except, of course, that Light enjoyed making L say things that were embarrassing, and really, L needed better taste in men. He looked over at Light, who was already looking at him, and glared.

_Don’t pretend to be oblivious. Tomorrow? 7pm?_

_How charming of you._

L shot Light another glare, and Light smiled sweetly. Was this payback for earlier? L’s only reprieve was the quiet red across the bridge of Light’s nose.

_Go to dinner with me tomorrow at 7pm._

_Now it’s not even a question? How presumptuous._

_Dear Lord, why do you insist on doing this to me?_

Light was snickering. L nearly threw his phone at him. Light was much bolder, it seemed, when he didn’t have to physically say anything. What an odd work-around, and yet how very cute. How did L get his attention at all?

_Doing what? Am I doing something?_

_This violates my Eighth Amendment rights. I do believe this constitutes cruel and unusual punishment._

_Quit whining. That time is fine._

L gripped his phone tightly and glared one more time at Light for good measure, part of him desperately annoyed and another relieved at the return to form. Besides, Light was a liar, and he couldn’t quite hide the now much deeper flush to his cheeks.

“Anything yet?” Light suddenly asked him, and L snapped out of his glare.

“Hmm?”

“Have you found anything yet?” Light repeated. He gestured to the screens in front of them. “I have nothing so far.”

“I’ve seen Misa more than once,” L said with a shrug. “And that Takada’s neighbor has quite the social life.”

“Misa is actually doing a fairly good job of being discreet,” Light praised cautiously. “Spotting her is more difficult than I realized.”

Jealousy reared its ugly head at the praise, but L tried to squash it back down. Misa was kind to him, and she deserved some praise for being so helpful to them. She was also very supportive of him and Light, and that meant she was a friend, not a foe.

“She could do better,” L blurted.

“You’re just harsh,” Light said back.

“You _motherfucker_!” Matt yelled then.

L and Light slowly looked over the top of their screens to see Matt pacing in the corner, his hands on his head. He was mumbling to himself, and L realized he needed to check in sooner than later.

“Trying to send me through a _goddamn loop, you piece of shit, you scrawny shit stain_. I swear to God whoever programmed this is a _fucking vindictive bitch and I will end them…_ ”

“Matt?” L asked worriedly. “Is everything… Alright?”

Matt stopped and blinked, the bags under his eyes horrifying in how deep they were. “...Oh, right. Hey, guys.”

“Matt,” Light said calmly, “do you want to take some time off? Maybe take a nap?”

Matt blinked again before he practically collapsed into a chair, and L frowned. “Yeah, I think I might need it,” Matt admitted.

“Did you sleep at all last night?” L asked, and his frown deepened when Matt shook his head. “I may not need sleep, but you do. Go see Watari and ask for a cot.”

It seemed as if Matt was already falling asleep. L got up and shook him gently, before helping him up.

“Go to Watari,” L commanded. “Do not ruin your health any further, please.”

“Yeah,” Matt agreed. “Sorry. I’ll get back to it tomorrow.”

L shot one last look at Light before leading Matt out to get some sleep.

~~

Watari stared at the mess before him, horrified at how large and seemingly random it was. How had one man caused all of this? How had one man caused all of this in just a few hours?

L and Watari stared one another down as L sat in the middle of the floor with L’s clothes scattered everywhere, a sea of white and gray-blue taking over everything. Watari blinked as he and L continued their staring contest before he cleared his throat.

“Yes?” L said calmly.

“I came to inform you Matt was still asleep,” Watari said as he looked around. “But I realize I have many questions to ask you.”

“I was… Looking for something,” L deflected. “Matt’s still asleep?”

“I’m not sure how many nights he went without it,” Watari said gravely. “He may be asleep for all of tomorrow, too.”

“So long as he feels better afterwards,” L said with a nod. “We’ll keep Matsuda away from any technology and we should be fine.”

“Yes, I agree.” Watari hesitated before he gave in to his curiosity. “And what, exactly, were you looking for, L?”

“Oh, yes, that,” L coughed. He shifted a bit before he frowned in dismay. “I may have a question of an awkward nature to ask.”

“...Of course,” Watari said. He gestured for L to continue. “Do ask.”

L looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. Watari realized what minefield he had stepped into and carefully thought out his next few steps as L made some humming noises.

“What’s suitable to wear on a date?” L finally asked.

“Oh, dear,” Watari sighed.

“I only really have these,” L continued, “and I’m not sure they’re what he’s expecting.”

“And by ‘he’ we do mean Light, correct?”

“Yes.” L looked somewhere between pleased and embarrassed, with a dash of giddy. “But he wants something… Nice. Something impressive.”

“As I expected,” Watari nodded. He took a peek around before he sighed. “I do believe you’re right in thinking none of these would do.”

“But I don’t have anything else,” L mumbled. “And I would like to get to a second date.”

“You’re fortunate that I know someone who may be able to help,” Watari said as he kicked at some jeans at his feet. “And when do you need to have this?”

“...Tomorrow.”

“Yes, of course,” Watari pinched out. “And where are you two going? How high class?”

L paused before he looked away again, and Watari pulled out his phone with a slight sigh.

“Oh, son,” Watari said.

“I hadn’t gotten that far yet,” L whimpered.

“That was Step One,” Watari said back as he started looking up restaurants. “Something impressive, yes?”

“Please, let me,” L said as he stepped over more clothes. Watari handed him the phone as L started to scroll through them, quickly taking in all the information he could. “I should be the one to pick, after all.”

“Yes, you should.”

L scrolled for a bit longer before he paused and spun the phone around.

“This one,” he said. “This seems suitable.”

Watari nodded as he took the phone back. “You’ll need a dress shirt. And slacks.”

“Slacks?” L asked, alarmed. “Certainly not. The restaurant doesn’t require them.”

“Certainly yes, if you want Light to feel special,” Watari replied. “I can get someone here tonight for a fitting. What color do you want to wear?”

“Not slacks colored.”

“Not an option. Now, I’m sure that you’ll be polite when he arrives to tailor it, yes?”

L grumbled something before Watari looked at him more sharply. “Yes, sir.”

“I’ll go out and buy something to be tailored. Tell me now before I leave if you want any say in color.”

L sighed heavily before he scratched his head a bit. “Blue, I suppose.”

“For the shirt or the slacks?” Watari asked, and L frowned.

“The shirt?” L fumbled. “I’m not sure why this matters.”

“Grey goes nicely with blue,” Watari informed him. “Wait here for me and the tailor. I’ll call them now and make a reservation for a window seat. When are you picking Light up?”

“Picking him up?” L stumbled, and Watari had to hold in the exasperation.

“Yes, picking him up. When are you doing that?”

“Seven,” L told him. “I’m picking him up at seven.”

“Good,” Watari said.

He opened the door to exit before Watari paused once more and looked back with a calming smile. L visibly relaxed a bit.

“He’s going to love it, L,” Watari said. L rubbed the back of his neck once more.

“I quite hope so.”

Watari gave him one last look before he exited.


	15. Troy Bolton and Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time. They're going out to dinner together, and Light swears he isn't nervous. He swears he isn't. He's been on plenty of dates before and this isn't anything to be nervous about. Shut up, Matsuda. L on the other hand is nervous as all hell, and he's willing to admit that goddamnit. This is his first date ever!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes, I continue to post on weird days... I was thinking of starting to try to post twice a week, if anyone wanted me to? I'm not sure if it would entirely work out, but I'm definitely willing to try! Since this is all written out (!!!) and edited. For sure, though, I'm posting again this week on Saturday. Thank you all so much for reading!

“How on earth did you even find out?”

“What do you mean how did I find out?! Of course I know!” Matsuda screeched. Light held the phone further away from his face. “How did he ask? Was it sweet? Did he profess his undying love?!”

“The only one who knew was Matt, and he’s been in a sleep coma for 26 hours,” Light continued. “Seriously, how did you find out?”

“I know you, man!” Matsuda exclaimed. “I could tell when I stopped by while you and L were watching tapes!”

“We weren’t even talking to each other?”

“Okay, so maybe Matt texted me when he found out… And also he told Near,” Matsuda admitted, but he rushed on. “And I couldn’t contain myself anymore and had to check, and it’s true!”

“Oh, so the entire team knows?” Light groaned. “I really _didn’t_ want that.”

“Mello doesn’t know,” Matsuda soothed. “And hey, maybe Watari doesn’t either!”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better, Matsuda,” Light grumbled.

He swiped aside another shirt before looking at the next one in his closet. It was just too red, he decided before he moved on to the next one. Ugh, but that one was too green!

“When is he picking you up?” Matsuda asked next, and Light sighed. He wasn’t getting out of this.

“Seven,” he told him. “Although, I could’ve driven myself.”

“Please, you love this,” Matsuda scoffed. “He’s treating you like a prince. Where’s he taking you?”

“I… Don’t know, actually. It’s a surprise.”

“Damn, what a romantic. That guy has some moves!”

“Can I go back to reading now?” Light lied. “It’s only five.”

“I know for a fact that you’re looking through your shirts right now, Light,” Matsuda warned. “And if you lie to me again, I’m calling and telling Misa.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Light hissed as he pushed aside another shirt. “And why do you say I’m looking through my shirts?”

“Dude,” Matsuda sighed. “I know you? And I can hear it. The scrape of the metal hangers as you slide them is music to my ears.”

“Why do I talk to you?”

“Because I’m your best friend, Light. By the way, I’m going to be there in like five minutes.”

“What?” Light sputtered. He looked around his apartment, slacks spread over the bed, a few shirts tossed around, and belts laid over the top of his desk. Panic settled in heavily in his stomach. “What the hell, Matsuda? Don’t come here.”

“I’ve been heading there the entire time! Don’t worry, though! I’ll clear out before he gets there.”

“You were never invited!” Light shot back. “Goddamnit.”

“You know you’re not getting rid of me,” Matsuda said matter-of-factly. “I’m coming over to help you and you’ll just have to deal with that.”

“You’re like a cockroach,” Light growled.

“Yep! I’ll survive the nuclear apocalypse!” Matsuda laughed. “Hold up, I’m pulling up to your building.”

“That wasn’t five minutes, Matsu-!”

The phone line went dead, and Light threw himself into his living room. He slammed his bedroom door shut and only had a few brief moments to internally scream at his sweatpants before Matsuda was knocking on his door, his idiotic voice drifting to Light’s ears.

“It’s me! I’m here to help you! I’ll make sure he can’t keep his hands off of you!”

Light ripped his door open and yanked Matsuda inside with one last look around. None of his neighbors were looking out, but he doubted that they hadn’t heard.

“Keep quiet!” Light spat as soon as he closed his door. “I don’t want nosey neighbors!”

“Wow, Light, you better not be wearing this,” Matsuda said as he shook his head. “This is a disaster. I’ll pick something for you.”

“Can you listen to a single word that comes out of my mouth?” Light barked. “I was lounging, reading, remember? I don’t need- No, don’t open that!”

Matsuda put his hands on his hips as Light felt his dignity scream as it died. He accepted his fate, and quickly, as that idiot stood in front of Light’s open bedroom door.

“I knew it!”

“I want to die,” Light rushed out.

“You’re nervous!” It came out almost victoriously, in a way that made Light scoff and feel deeply humiliated at the same time. “You’re like one of us mortals after all.”

“I’m a human fucking being!” Light shot back. “And I’m not nervous. I’m not. ...Don’t give me that look.”

Matsuda’s eyebrows were raised and his smile was larger than Light had thought even possible for a human. Maybe, Light thought, this was Matsuda’s way of revealing he was in some way related to the Grinch, and Light was about to have the sweet release of death.

“Okay, sure, whatever you say, dude,” Matsuda laughed out. “I’ll believe you.”

He moved into Light’s room and started digging through his closet, humming a bit as he looked at what was in there. Light debated kicking him out before deciding the damage had already been done before he collapsed onto his own bed, carefully avoiding the slacks everywhere.

“First of all, why are you looking at slacks? This is a date, not a job interview,” Matsuda started. “Don’t you own any jeans?”

Light sighed. “No, I own zero jeans. How did you know?”

“Haha. Very funny. Where do you keep them?”

“The bottom drawer,” Light said. “I don’t know if we’re going somewhere nice, though. I mean, I told him to take me somewhere nice.”

“You did?” Matsuda said with a spin. He looked excitedly at Light. “Seriously, how did he ask? What did you say? You’re telling me everything.”

“That’s not happening,” Light scolded. “I’m not telling you _shit_.”

“I’ll figure it out eventually,” Matsuda sighed as he turned back to the closet. “But seriously, when was the last time you had fun? These jeans look like they haven’t seen the light of day in years.”

“I don’t like jeans,” Light coughed.

“I bet L does, though,” Matsuda said as he threw a pair at Light’s face. “And I guess you have to wear a button up. Who doesn’t own a t-shirt?”

“I swear, I want to kill you,” Light groaned. “No, no, I’m _absolutely_ going to kill you.”

“You’re still not allowed to strain yourself!”

“Lucky you,” Light said blandly.

“Oh, here, this one,” Matsuda ignored Light with. “Yeah, there you go. This’ll work.”

“I don’t take fashion advice from you,” Light said without looking as Matsuda tossed another piece of clothing at him. “Especially not over this.”

Yet Light grabbed them, too tired from Matsuda to even vaguely care anymore. Maybe that was his real super-power, to have calmed Lights nerves by being such an absolute idiot. Not that Light was nervous. At all.

“Right now you do,” Matsuda dismissed. “Now come on. We don’t have all night, and you’re going to shower and blow dry your hair to make it extra soft before he gets here.”

And the worst part of it all was that Light got up and did as he was told.

~~

Matsuda cleared out a six-thirty as promised, with the promise to Light that he could message Matsuda if he needed an out or if he wanted to tell him about how the date was going. Matsuda had said the second part with a wink before he’d left, and Light made a promise to himself that that fucking idiot would know absolutely nothing about that night, especially if Light did somehow enjoy himself.

Not that it was likely. Even if he had the poor taste to like L, he figured that would likely disappear with a boring date, as was Light’s usual.

He was just putting his wallet into his disgusting jean pockets when someone knocked on the door, and Light’s entire body decided to set off the internal alarms in a way that was definitely unexpected. In retaliation, he took his sweet damn time answering the door to prove he wasn’t nervous. Because he wasn’t, in the slightest bit.

Which all immediately flew out the window the moment he actually opened the door, and dear God. Dear fucking God.

“...I’m overdressed,” L muttered bashfully.

_Sweet, merciful Jesus._

“You own clothes,” Light stupidly blurted. “Like actual clothes.”

And God did they fit. L was rubbing the back of his left ankle with his right foot, and were those real shoes and not the disgusting things he called shoes? Oh, Christ, this was the best L had ever looked.

“Yes, I’m known for showing up to work naked,” L replied. “Although I find you owning jeans more surprising.”

No, he was wrong. Because Light looked like usual Light. Light looked as he always did, which was good-looking, but L pulled a fucking one-eighty and looked like someone Light could actually bring home and be told how lucky he was.

Light blushed at his own ridiculousness.

“You’re not the only one,” Light forced himself to chuckle. “But, uh, do I need to wear something nicer?”

“No, I couldn’t care less,” L waved off. “You look great as is.”

No he didn’t. He was going to kill Matsuda for how much he didn’t suit the, what, sultry politician? No, maybe a coy CEO? Perhaps morally corrupt lawyer? Young billionaire?

Wait, that last one was true, wasn’t it? Shit, was Light a gold-digger?

“I’m just going to grab my jacket, hang on,” Light said as he rushed back into his bedroom. He grabbed a blazer and felt like an asshole, looked like one too, in a desperate attempt to be a bit more presentable.

When he returned he saw L doing something on his phone before it became apparent he was looking up directions. Something in him caught horrifically at how much Light wanted to pull him in, let him in his apartment and-

And what, really? Even Light didn’t really know what he wanted. Or so he told the shake in his hands and the desperate need to know what material L’s shirt was made of.

“Let’s go,” Light managed as he walked to L. L nodded as Light locked up his apartment, and they walked in silence to the car.

The car itself brought on a whole new slew of problems because Light realized, immediately, that this was not L’s usual car and was instead something much higher end and probably at least five times more expensive. He balked at what appeared to be a grounded spacecraft.

“New car?” Light sputtered as L held the door open for him. Something in him delighted at the gesture.

“Old,” L said with a shrug. “I’ve had it for a while. I’m not entirely sure if I like it.”

“Oh,” Light intoned. There was a brief moment between L closing his door and walking over to his own side that gave Light the opportunity to discover the car had heated seats. And a sun roof. And way more buttons than Light had ever seen in any vehicle before.

“It was a gift from Watari,” L said as he got back in. Light jumped. “For when I turned thirty.”

“How did you get it to California?” Light puttered. He mentally kicked himself as he tried to figure out what half the buttons did and failed.

“I have my ways,” L responded mysteriously, and Light just let it go.

“My father bought me some new socks for my birthday,” Light found himself saying. “And my mother got me a new pan.”

“Stainless steel? Or something more cast-iron?”

“Non-stick,” Light croaked.

“That is an important thing to own,” L recovered.

The car purred to life, and quietly, over the speakers, music drifted into the car with them. Light was going to say something when he finally connected what he was hearing, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Are you… Listening to _Wicked_?”

Light could just barely make out L’s ears going red, before he heard nervous laughter.

“I own the CD,” L said. Light stared as L started to pull the car out of the lot and onto the street.

“Have you seen it?”

“On Broadway,” L confirmed. Google piped in that L needed to turn left at that moment, and for the first time, Light realized L had a Samsung. “Do you enjoy musicals?”

“Not particularly,” Light said with a frown. “Not since Sayu said I looked like Troy Bolton.”

L snorted horrendously and unattractively at that, and to his credit, he attempted to turn his laughter into a cough. He failed, though, so Light glared at him.

“Of course, you look nothing like him,” L assured.

“And how exactly do you know who that is?” Light challenged.

Silence fell between them as L’s laughter died and was replaced with a hideous whine. Light took the chance to snicker at him.

“Oh, is someone a fan?”

“Of course not,” L dismissed too quickly. “It was actually Mello who liked it.”

“Yes, of course, Mello. The guy who hates anything that doesn’t have enough leather in it.”

“They’re passable for entertainment,” L tried again. This time, Light let the silence and Elphaba speak for him. “In any case, I enjoy musicals.”

“Yes, I got that,” Light huffed victoriously. “Even high school ones.”

L began grumbling something incoherent as he pulled onto the freeway, the 405 actually cleared for once. Light supposed it was because it was after rush hour, but something more optimistic in him said it was a blessing of some sort on their date.

He squashed the thought almost immediately and chastised himself for sounding so pathetic.

“Hmm, I’m surprised,” L muttered “It’s never this clear. Perhaps that’s a good sign.”

Of course, Light forgot L was a mind reader, and he flushed scarlet before he could stop himself.

“I guess so,” Light dismissed quickly. “If you want to take it that way.”

The slight upturn of L’s lips told Light that L somehow knew Light was embarrassed, and he cursed him and pettily turned to look out the window instead. He let the car go quiet for a bit as punishment, at least until his curiosity got the better of him.

“Where are we going?” Light asked.

“A place,” L replied.

“Really? How wonderful,” Light snarked. “I’m so glad we’re going somewhere.”

“Now, now,” L chuckled. “What’s the point of calling it a surprise if I tell you the moment you ask?”

This was the worst, Light thought as he looked at L once more. Under the streetlights on the freeway, he was all sharp angles and well cut lines, and Light was tearing himself away at every turn. Part of him wished he still looked at L and saw someone odd, someone who repulsed him. Another part of him wanted to see if his collarbone was just as sharp.

“I’m just a curious person,” Light croaked into the air between them. A smile cut across L’s face in a way that was ominous in the lighting, but blood-pounding.

“Curiosity killed the cat,” L reminded him.

If the cat’s temptation was anything like Light’s, he really didn’t blame him. It was one hell of a thing to resist. He swallowed down a lump in his throat.

“Satisfaction brought it back,” Light finished quietly.

~~

He was sweating, under his collar. He was sweating from being unused to such restricting things, sweating from the LA heat that never went away even during what was supposedly late fall, and sweating from the fact that he _really_ didn’t want to keep his hands to himself.

Light was being casual, for once, and L thought it was absolutely no wonder that Light could pick up a model. Everything Light wore became high fashion, without him even trying. Meryl Streep even wouldn’t be able to say a damn thing about Light, and she was a devil in Prada.

Meanwhile, L looked vaguely out of place no matter what he did, and it was so unfair that Light was there with him and not with Misa Amane. Not that L was complaining, exactly, but if the man at the door continued to look at Light’s ass any longer, L was going to cause a scene.

“ _Oh_ ,” Light whispered as L ushered him in.

Pleased excitement overtook Light’s face and turned the man into someone L wasn’t going to keep his hands off of even if he were handcuffed, and L snatched up Light’s hand in a bold but containing movement. He firmly kept his other hand in his pocket.

“I trust you like it?” L asked quietly.

“How did you..?” Light’s question went unfinished, but pride burned L nonetheless. He hadn’t realized how important Light’s opinion was until he gave it, and suddenly L was basking in the warm glow of Light’s praise. “I’m very underdressed.”

“You’re the best looking one here,” L shook off. “I’m sure no one will mind.”

It must have been the right thing to say, because Light actually curled his fingers around L’s, and L nearly fell over his own feet.

After giving the hostess his alias, they were led over to large windows that overlooked much of Los Angeles, the city a modern beauty in the dark. Lights twinkled brightly signaling the life occuring at all hours below them, the bustling of people never ceasing.

L couldn’t have cared much for the view, though, if it weren’t for the way Light matched it, a modern beauty in his own way. He was almost certain that Light was actually some sort of temptation put on this Earth just to trip L up, and L was very happily going to Hell.

“I was very confused when we arrived at the Bonaventura Hotel,” Light admitted. “I had no idea there was a restaurant here.”

“Are you impressed?” L asked nervously. “Does this meet the criteria of a nice restaurant?”

Light stared at him, before he blinked. Another moment after that, and Light was chuckling, and L realized he was still gripping Light’s hand under the table as he felt Light shake. He didn’t pull away.

“Let me think,” Light laughed out. “A view, prices I could never afford, and actual tablecloths? You know, it just might meet the criteria.”

Something between relief and something else a bit mushier took residence in L’s chest. He was a bit disappointed when Light finally pulled his hand away with a flush, but L quickly dismissed the feeling after he realized how sweaty his hand was.

“Have whatever you want,” L stumbled out. “I’m paying, after all.”

“You better be,” Light warned. “Unless you enjoy dining and dashing.”

A waitress came by and took their drink order, neither of them opting for alcohol. For some absurd reason, that pleased L immensely, even if he couldn’t even fathom why.

“Not even wine?” L asked as he sipped his water. Light’s face contorted a bit. “Ah, find it disgusting?”

“I never took to it,” Light confirmed. “Yet I’m apparently the type of person people believe likes it. I’ll drink it if I’m at some party or celebration, of course, but I wouldn’t pick it myself.”

“I don’t like alcohol at all,” L agreed. “I despise the thought of losing any form of self control. I’ve been drunk only once in my life, and I don’t wish to repeat it.”

“I can’t even imagine you drunk,” Light laughed. “Although, something tells me you’re even more of an annoying dick under the influence.”

“Harsh,” L whined. “And here I was, believing I was just _somewhat_ annoying.”

Light snorted inelegantly into his own water, and L was enchanted.

“I’ve been drunk a handful of times,” Light continued. “I don’t enjoy it either.”

“I didn’t think you would. We’re alike in that regard.”

“We’re a bit more alike than just that,” Light pointed out.

L kept his inner nerve spike to a minimum through sheer force of will as he grabbed Light’s hand again. It was a high risk, but he was highly rewarded with the way Light softened ever so slightly.

Conversation between them was easy and flowed well despite how much L was bouncing his leg on his chair and how much the other patrons stared at their table. He knew it was either the way he sat or it was Light, but it didn’t matter when Light was laughing at his jokes and smiling at him and not anyone else. They eventually gave the waitress their orders and even eventually had food in front of them, though L couldn’t have explained the passage of time in the slightest.

“This looks really good,” Light said as his salmon was placed in front of him.

“Nearly as good as you,” L said stupidly. He nearly slapped himself for it.

“What?” Light huffed out. “I’m not food.”

“Depends on the- I’m going to shut my mouth now.”

Something dark took Light’s eyes for a minute, just long enough to set L completely on fire. Light cleared his throat before picking up his utensils, L scrambling to follow suit. How does a human being use a fork again?

“You say the oddest things,” Light teased as he cut in. L nearly choked on his food.

“Don’t I just? Hopefully, deep down, you find it endearing.”

“Hmm, that’s still up for debate.”

“Then at the very least, I hope to make it so that you find it tolerable,” L declared. “Otherwise, I think you’ll hit me again. I’ll watch my mouth more.”

Light tilted his head a bit, his bangs hiding most of his face as he attempted, and failed, to look nonchalant. L appreciated his courage.

“Don’t bother. It’s already… Tolerable.”

Light was so easily embarrassed by the simplest things, L thought. Then he thought about the fact that Light had given him permission to say far too much, and he set on fire all over again.

“What should my new goal be then? Perhaps it should be likeable-”

“Wait, oh my god.”

Light was looking behind L, somewhere in the distance, and L blinked rapidly, dismayed at the interruption. He turned around a bit to see what was so important that Light would fixate on it instead of him.

“Oh, dear,” L sighed out. “Given how large this city is, this seems less coincidental and more malicious.”

Several tables behind them, and a bit more towards the center of the room, Kiyomi Takada sat with a man with long hair, the two of them oddly cold and distant for what would have otherwise looked like a date. Takada was leaned too far away, the man too stiff, and L was angry beyond belief.

“Who is that man?” Light asked. L groaned.

“I have no idea,” he grumbled. “But if that is Reiji, then I am going to be quite upset.”

L turned back to Light and put his legs down in an attempt to not draw any attention to themselves. He groaned again for good measure.

“Should we...?”

L closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose before he nodded.

“Yes, we should.”

And there went L’s dinner plans.


	16. A Whole Plate of Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt, finally awake, realizes that there were certain things they all should have done and checked, and that they better go and fix what they caused. Meanwhile, L is frustrated beyond belief at his luck and at how this is so not how he wanted this evening to go. Light has to agree, except his mind has gone disturbingly blank...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said I'd post on Saturday but.... Uh, well. I'm going to be out all day tomorrow, unexpectedly. So I'm posting today! I'm still debating posting twice a week, so please, let me know what you think! Thank you all for reading!

Sleeping for over twenty-four hours was not an experience Matt wanted to ever repeat. He woke up in a room he didn’t recognize for at least five minutes, as his brain tried and failed to reboot itself after being out for so long. This horrifying experience was then immediately followed by Mello yelling at him for not taking care of himself better in what Matt guessed was Mello’s way of showing affection and worry.

He was yelled at by Mello quite frequently, and lately, it was becoming more and more often. Hopefully one day, they would all learn some basic social skills.

He stumbled out of the room, his goggles nowhere to be found, and squinted at the vague blobs and shapes around him.

“Mels, where’s everyone else?” he asked him. Mello huffed.

“Home? It’s pretty fucking late. Your dumbass has been asleep a while.”

“Yeah, I got that.” Matt rolled his eyes. “Shit, where’s my goggles?”

Mello pressed them into Matt’s hands as they continued their journey down the hallway, to where Matt knew L should be. It was a relief to his eyes when he saw the world with clarity, and in a washed out orange.

“If you’re looking for L, he isn’t here,” Mello spat. “I have no idea where he is.”

“He’s on a date,” Matt dismissed as he changed courses for Watari’s room. “Which means he won’t be back ‘til late.”

“Wait, what? Who? _When_?” Mello’s voice was climbing the musical staff like a ladder. “What the fuck? Why didn’t I know anything about this?”

“Jesus, Mels,” Matt groaned. “Dude. He and Yagami. Everyone else knew.”

That earned Matt a shriek that nearly burst an eardrum. While Mello continued exclaiming behind him, Matt knocked on Watari’s door and waited. Mello was saying something about “fuck” and “why the fuck” in between other more crude suggestions, but Matt was an expert at tuning it out after so many years.

“ _Yagami_? He’s going out with that bitch? With that guy?! _Why the fuck_?!”

“Oh, Mail,” Watari said as he opened his door. “You’re awake.”

“Did anyone do anything to my laptop?” Matt asked. He was being rude, but a small panic was building up in him. Mello thankfully shut his mouth for the moment being. “Is it still at HQ?”

“I… Don’t believe anyone did anything with it,” Watari soothed. “It was ignored in favor of you.”

“Oh, shit,” Matt burst. “ _Oh, shit_.”

“Mail?” Watari asked worriedly, and Matt shoved his fingers into his hair. “Are you okay?”

“Was it even turned off?”

Watari thought for a moment, before he shook his head. “I don’t believe so, son. Is something the matter?”

Matt sucked in a breath as Mello put a hand on his shoulder. He needed a smoke. He needed a beer. He needed to do so many security things yet again, goddamnit.

“We should probably move HQ,” Matt muttered. “And destroy that laptop.”

Watari sighed loudly as he seemed to catch up. He nodded gravely. “I’ll contact L, then. I’m assuming this means we should’ve remembered that, hmm?”

“There’s a miniscule chance we were traced back,” Matt said. “I wouldn’t know ‘til I check, but honestly? Better safe than dead.”

“I’ll go wake up Near,” Mello volunteered a bit too enthusiastically as he jogged down the hall. “And I’ll call Matsuda.”

Matt sighed for good measure as he and Watari started walking down the hall together towards the elevators. Watari pulled his phone out and shot one last look at Matt before he unlocked it.

“Are you doing alright now?” Watari checked. Matt frowned.

“Just call L. I’m already feeling guilty for cockblocking him, okay? Sorry, I just don’t want to drag it on.”

Watari nodded and didn’t say another word to Matt.

~~

This was all a disaster.

L cringed as he got off the phone with Watari, having been able to hear Mello in the background yelling about technology and security, and he wanted to break something. He wanted to fucking break something.

He looked up at Light across the table, who looked worried but also ready for action. It was attractive, and that made L even more upset.

“Apparently,” L seethed, “we need to head back and help move headquarters.”

Light blinked twice before he collapsed back against his chair, frustration seeping in to his every pore. L could relate at the moment.

“I see,” Light said. “And Takada?”

“Will be handled by Mello, who has a disdain for ‘that technology shit,’” L quoted. “Plus, as far as I can hear, he’s driving Watari up the wall. As soon as Mello arrives, we’re leaving.”

“Oh, joy,” Light groaned. “Well, then I guess we better ask for the check.”

The bitter taste of disappointment was not one L was familiar with in the slightest. Takada had been a road block; this was a full on stop. L was having a small issue controlling his temper at the moment as he, like a spoilt child, raged against anything getting in the way of what he had wanted. Knowing how spoilt his tantrum was, however, was compounding it all and making it much worse.

“I’m sorry,” L somehow forced out. “This was not how I envisioned the evening going.”

“I’m shocked we expected anything less, though,” Light said back. “After all, an empty freeway should have been an omen.”

“Like when the sea pulls back before a tsunami,” L agreed.

They both sulked together for a few moments, the only interruption being L asking their waitress for a check. Light sighed as she walked away.

“We’ll have to be careful leaving,” Light said. “Takada would recognize us, and while we could talk our way out of it, I just don’t want to.”

“I agree. This is most frustrating and disappointing,” L admitted. “Dinner was supposed to be fun.”

Light shifted a bit across from him, before L heard him sigh a little once more.

“It was fun,” he said quietly. “I was enjoying it.”

Oh, L’s frustration was turned up to eleven. How he wished he could just toss Takada in the back of a patrol car and call it a night. How he wished she hadn’t shown up at all, and that Matt’s computer had been thrown in a dumpster before there was even the slightest thought of it being traced.

“I’m glad, even if I can’t properly express that right now,” L ground out as he looked around for Mello. He knew he wouldn’t be there yet, but he hoped. “I’m sorry you’re seeing me this spoilt.”

“Spoilt?” Light asked. There was a beat. “No… I’m just as frustrated as you are. How frustrating that we’ll just. Ah. Have to make this up some other time.”

L nearly broke his own neck to look at Light quickly. He was very decidedly looking at Takada, and not at L, and that would have been much more convincing if Light weren’t nearly the color of the wine the couple at the table beside them was drinking. And that wine was certainly not a rose`.

“Pardon?” L fumbled.

“Well, we can’t leave it like this, right? I agreed to one date, a full one, so it’s just. Courtesy.” Light was playing with the sleeve of his jacket, and he bit his bottom lip a bit. “Right?”

“I’m very attracted to you,” L blurted out.

“...I know,” Light coughed. “I’m aware.”

Light finally looked at him, beet red and more than a little embarrassed, and L decided that this was perhaps the worst time to kiss this man in the history of first kisses. This was the complete worst timing ever, but hell, when did L ever have good timing? Good timing was for cowards.

He leaned across the table, and used Light’s hand to pull him forwards. Light did not resist.

L did not end his first kiss until the waitress brought them their check.

~~

Light was more than a bit dazed to say the least. His date was interrupted, Takada showed up with maybe Reiji, headquarters was blown, and _L just fucking kissed him_.

L was giving the waitress a card of some sort, everything about him a bit ruffled and clearly tense and nervous, and Takada was somewhere behind him, and Light was dating him. They were dating. Jesus Christ, L had just kissed him.

L’s lips were chapped and rough from a clear lack of care, and by God, L had just kissed him. There had been something desperate in the way L had pulled him in, something that made Light think all higher functioning in L’s brain had been deliberately flipped off, and _had he mentioned that L kissed him_?

“Ah, Mello should be here soon,” L croaked out.

“Oh,” Light said dumbly. “That’s good.”

“And Takada is still present, right?” L looked ready to throw himself out the large windows, and Light couldn’t fathom why. “Still there with the man?”

“Yes, they’re… You just kissed me.”

“Yes, I did, and it was perhaps the most idiotic thing I’ve ever done,” L said quickly. “I appear to have broken you.”

Light blinked before he shook his head a bit. “Your timing is absolutely terrible.”

“That’s my signature at this point, I’m afraid,” L agreed. “So please, let’s just wait in silence?”

“Why?” Light felt jumbled and tossed around. He was turning the key, and the car just wouldn’t start. “I don’t want to wait in silence.”

“And I would like to die, but we don’t always get what we want,” L begged.

“You’re embarrassed? Hurt?” Light sputtered. “I don’t know why.”

“Please, Light,” L begged again. “I’m frightened I just made a huge error, so please, I don’t want to talk.”

“Error?” Light blinked, and finally, the car purred to life with only a few hiccups. “Oh.”

L was practically hugging himself when his card was returned, and L signed the slip in fast, jerky movements. Light waited patiently, the frustration building in him again.

“Why was it an error?” Light demanded as soon as the woman left.

“Because you clearly didn’t enjoy it, like I did,” L shot back. “Dear Lord, Light Yagami, let a man _sulk_.”

“No, I refuse, because I _did_ enjoy it, and you’re just an idiot.”

Light had a slight habit of letting anger overrule all other functions in his head, which sadly caused much heat to take his cheeks. He was going to cook himself alive, and probably be served medium to medium well and paired with Chardonnay considering the evening, and Christ, anger brought out a hell of a lot of courage he didn’t have out of him. Luckily for L, the man angered him to no end, and _Light was dating him_.

“You _did_?” L replied too quickly and hastily to pretend it wasn’t desperation.

“Leave me alone,” Light groaned. “You’re right; let’s wait in silence.”

“No, that’s not fair,” L cut in. “I get to bask in the moment. Don’t deny me that.”

“That thing about dying? That’s really relatable now,” Light whined.

“You enjoyed it,” L crowed. “You like me!”

“Now that that has been settled, is Mello here yet? I’d like to ask him to run me over.”

“You have awful taste in men,” L said smugly as Light returned to watching Takada. She was doing nothing but eating her salad. “And now I can prove it.”

“I agreed to go out with you. That should’ve been proof enough.”

“Yes, but you also agreed to go out with Misa, so I was being cautious.”

Light was upset that L looked so alive when he looked at him. He was upset that it made everything in him want to lurch forward again and take another kiss, but he restrained himself. This wasn’t the time, at all. This wasn’t the time to find out what L tasted like even if Light was overwhelmingly tempted.

“I’m going to hit you,” Light warned. L was laughing, high pitched and giddy with a breathy quality to it, and how awful was it that it was a great sound?

“Go ahead, if it’ll make you feel more comfortable,” L invited. “Though I must admit that I quite like seeing you flustered.”

L’s hand had found his again. Light suspected L was tactile with things he liked, and he found he had no problem with that. He vented some of his embarrassment by squeezing, and hard, but the bastard never showed any sign of discomfort.

“Oh, see? Mello’s here. Unsurprising, given he drives like a maniac,” L said. “Probably drove ninety all the way here, somehow. But, I digress. We have places to be.”

L was rambling, a light tone to him that Light liked there. L took a glance around before pulling him up by his hand.

“Come along, Light, adventure awaits,” L informed him giddily.

Light didn’t even try to fight it anymore and twined their fingers together.


	17. Not Very Intimidating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They need to break down headquarters, but this is the time that Matsuda decides to talk to Light about L, and vice versa. If only he were a bit scarier, maybe it would have landed. Afterwards, L has to drive Light home, and his nerves are skyrocketing again. What is he supposed to do now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm going to return to once a week posting. Not only am I sick right now, so I have to take some time off, but also I'm not ready to leave this world yet... Anyways, thank you for reading this far!

Light sighed as he sat to the side, basically useless, as everyone else carried equipment and other various goods into a large van that made Light think Watari was going to commit murder one day. The van was entirely white, with illegally darkened windows, and seriously, why did Watari own a murder van? He supposed that moving vital and confidential equipment was a good enough reason, even if in the moment, it didn’t feel like it.

Thanks to his prior injuries, and still not being up to full strength, L had forcibly made Light sit down. Light had offered to at least carry the office supplies, to do anything, but L had insisted in a way that made Light want to hit him until L smiled at him and left a very unexpected kiss on his cheek.

Light was not still blushing. Matsuda needed to shut his mouth before Light maimed him.

L, when excited and tumbling down over whatever nerve cliff he’d set himself up on previously, was incorrigible. Absolutely and unabashedly shameless. Very, highly cute.

He reminded Light of perhaps a labrador. Labrador?

No, no… L was a police dog. Perhaps he was a german shepherd. He certainly was just as protective as one, with all the same guard dog instincts. Light suspected that if he were ever in danger, L would ferociously respond, and boy, if that wasn’t kind of hot. Shaking away things he shouldn’t think about in public, Light decided that yes, L was a german shepherd, perhaps one of the drug sniffing ones at that. He did always seem to sniff out when there was trouble.

Light was pulled out of his dumb train of thought by Matsuda who slumped down beside him, and then he raised his eyebrows and waggled them at Light.

“So,” Matsuda said expectantly. “How’d it go?”

“I’m not telling you, Matsuda,” Light sighed. “Seriously.”

“Look, man, I’m a detective. I already know how it went, but I wanna hear it from you.”

“And you care why again?”

“I’m your wingman!” Matsuda said. “And I take my job very seriously.”

“You’re worse than my sister,” Light groaned. “And since when have you been my wingman?”

“Uh, since I became your best friend.” Matsuda rolled his eyes. “Duh.”

“You’re my _what_ now.”

“Oh come on, you don’t have any other friends. So it’s me by default!”

“And what exactly is L then?” Light challenged. “Other than a friend?”

“He’s your _boyfriend_ , dude, so that doesn’t exactly count.”

That hit Light hard. He flushed and stumbled around verbally before he finally came to any goddamn response. “It’s been one fucking date, Matsuda.”

“Yeah? And this is the first time I ever thought you were actually interested, so I mean.” Matsuda shrugged at Light. “And it’s obvious you’re going to see him again. Neither of you are the type to be okay with something that isn’t mutually exclusive, even just in the beginning dating parts, so, therefore, he’s your boyfriend.”

Light was going to hit him. “And when did you decide to actually be good at your job?”

“Hey, I’m not some genius like you or L, but I’ve _always_ been good at my job,” Matsuda informed him with a smile. “So, c’mon, spit it out already. How was your date?”

Light rolled his eyes. “It was fine. I had fun. Satisfied?”

“No,” Matsuda groaned. “Details! Where did you go? What did you do? What happened?”

“We went to a restaurant. We ate. We saw Takada,” Light replied. He couldn’t help the entertained smirk when Matsuda huffed in frustration. “I believe those answer your questions, yeah?”

“You’re a dick, Light,” Matsuda puffed. “If L won’t say it, I will.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah! His job is to inflate your ego, and my job is to pop it. That’s how we’ll keep you centered.”

Light looked to any god to help him. Matsuda was the worst. The fucking worst ever. “He already openly tells me I’m a vain and arrogant person.”

“He what?” Matsuda suddenly shrieked. Light jumped back a bit. “I’ll kick his ass, Light, say the word.”

“Relax,” Light calmed. “I deserved it. Besides, you were, in fact, present for most of them.”

L chose that moment to walk by again, arms full of what seemed to be boxes of wires. Matsuda hopped up and pointed dramatically at L, startling him when he tried to look at Light.

“You!” Matsuda yelled.

“Me,” L said back as he stumbled.

“You take care of Light or you’ll answer to me, got it?”

“Matsuda!” Light yelped.

“I see,” L nodded gravely. Light nearly sobbed at L’s serious expression. “It shouldn’t ever be a problem.”

“Yeah, because you’ll take care of-” Matsuda was cut off by L interrupting him.

“You’re not even nearly as well trained as I am, so besting you wouldn’t ever be an issue.” L said bluntly. “As well as my superior strategic ability, of course.”

Matsuda made some noise somewhere between a chicken bawk and a goose honk, as L started to laugh a bit at his expense. Light also found himself chuckling as Matsuda tried to look more threatening, but he looked like an angry Hello Kitty doll instead. It just didn’t seem natural on Matsuda’s face.

“Matsuda, please, I’m only kidding,” L told him.

“And I’m not! Mess my friend up, and I’ll mess you up!”

Light was laughing even harder, even as he screamed internally. Matsuda’s voice cracked at the word friend.

“He’s lucky to have someone who cares so much,” L soothed as he snickered. “I assure you, this won’t be an issue. In fact, I find it far more likely that Light would be the one doing the hurting. He has a habit of punching me, after all.”

Matsuda spun around, and suddenly, and pointed at Light. “Which brings me to the next thing!”

“Oh, Jesus,” Light wheezed out.

“You! Don’t think I won’t kick your ass either!” Matsuda warned. “L’s my friend too!”

“My, my. My social circle has certainly grown,” L said blandly.

“One word that you tried to kill him and I’ll shoot you myself!”

The entire situation, while wholly absurd, was making Light laugh much too hard. It was all a direct cause of Matsuda even vaguely believing he was in the slightest bit scary, since he was just so not. Light should be more embarrassed, especially as Watari chuckled a bit further behind L, in the distance, but he was too entertained by the idea of Matsuda beating someone up.

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” Light somehow got out. “Whatever you say.”

“Boys,” Watari called out, even as he looked amused. “We’re just about packed up. Start preparing to leave.”

Light got up at that and started following the others towards the exit, ready to get out of the now doomed building. He almost wondered if it would finally collapse when they left, as some sort of symbolic gesture, but he rolled his eyes at himself mentally. Outside, Matt was taking some gasoline to his previous laptop. He looked up as they all approached, and he smiled.

“Just in time for the bonfire!” he said. “Anyone got any marshmallows?”

And as the fire went up, Light felt, for once, at peace.

~~

L pulled up in front of Light’s apartment building many hours after they had first left it. Everything in him had settled on a pleased buzzing, and while he loathed having to let Light leave, he knew Light needed to sleep. Also, what was he supposed to say?

“I can’t believe all that happened tonight,” Light cut through the silence. “I mean… What were the odds?”

“Very, very low,” L said. “Surely the odds of you wanting a second date were only around maybe two percent.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Light fumbled. “I meant Takada and the- Only two percent?”

L looked at him and smiled, his face hurting from how much of it he’d done in the past few hours. “I’m quite agitating. I assumed I would have upset you at some point.”

“You’re not wrong,” Light allowed. “But that low?”

“Well.” L blushed a bit. “I’m also inexperienced at such things.”

“...You? Insecure?” Light looked shocked. “Jesus, I didn’t think that was possible.”

“It very much is. I’m human, after all.”

Light huffed a bit, and he continued to make no move to get out of the car. L wondered if he was supposed to prompt Light by unlocking the doors or something, but he decided he’d rather just sit there and talk instead. Besides, the car was warm, and not uncomfortably so, and Light looked great in it.

“I mean, I guess so,” Light said eventually. “I’m just shocked.”

“You’re too pretty to ever be insecure, I understand,” L tossed out. Light blushed at that. “But see, not all humans are quite as attractive.”

“You’re a flatterer,” Light croaked out. “Manipulative dick.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” L asked. “So now I have no motivation to change my ways. I’ve been conditioned.”

L was always going to be a bit shocked when Light initiated contact, he thought. Light was just tapping his finger on L’s hand, almost unthinkingly, too, and it was so endearing. L let him tap out his odd pattern.

“No, see, it only worked because I let it,” Light claimed. “I can and will still call you manipulative.”

“Hypocritical, isn’t it? Considering yourself.”

Light pouted at that, and L finally gripped Light’s hand fully again. Light was unfair and played dirty, but L wasn’t complaining. He glanced at the car clock.

“Light, I hate to be the one to break this bubble,” L ended up whispering somehow, “but it’s two in the morning.”

Light said something too quietly for L to hear.

“Pardon?” L asked. “I couldn’t hear you.”

Light went a scarlet color, something that made L figure out that Light must have said something he viewed as embarrassing. Unfortunately, as Light viewed everything as embarrassing, L had no idea what that meant.

“Light,” L chuckled out. “Light, I won’t know if you don’t repeat it.”

“I-I.” Light looked away. “I said this is the part where you’re supposed to… No, never mind. Good night.”

L had somehow caught himself the cutest one, didn’t he? Light didn’t even get out of the car, still, and L figured it out quickly.

“You’ll have to look at me, you know,” L told him. “It makes it harder if you don’t.”

Light looked at him, and he looked so sulky and pouty again, and it was unfair. So unfair.

Kissing was something L knew for a fact he wasn’t good at. He was clumsy, and had no idea what to do with his hands, but Light didn’t seem to mind at all. Not when he leaned into him and put a hand on L’s cheek, and not when he made L forget just how uncomfortably the middle divider was digging into his side.

Kissing Light Yagami was easily and very quickly becoming L’s favorite thing to do.

Especially when L tilted a bit more, and suddenly Light was gripping the collar of L’s shirt a bit. He then nipped L’s bottom lip ever so slightly, and L gasped and had to pull back.

They stared at each other for only a moment before Light practically launched himself at L again.

They were in the car for at least another million years, L thought. Everything else in the world around them didn’t matter at all, and God, L was frustrated. L was so sexually frustrated, and it was ridiculous how much he suddenly felt it all at once. Light had taken it upon himself to lick at L’s lips until L let him in, and _shit_ , L felt like his brain was fluttering around just out of reach in a warm haze.

When Light finally pulled away, L was shocked to see the clock only read several minutes later. When had he started gripping Light’s upper arm? When had Light’s hair gotten messy? How had he not noticed how much that central divider hurt?

Light blinked and sucked in some air before he cleared his throat. “Um. Good night.”

“I… Yes. Good. Good night,” L stumbled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Light cleared his throat one more time before he hopped out of the car quickly, also disappearing into his apartment building just as quickly, and L stared after him.

L couldn’t wait to see him again.

~~

Watari sighed as he helped Matt shove clothing away from the area they were currently setting up in. L had never cleaned up, the brat, and Watari refused to do it for him anymore, not when he was in his thirties and Watari had bigger problems to worry about. It was a principle based reason, and not one based on Watari being frustrated as Matt pointed out different cables.

“This end,” Matt said. “Goes into the computer. And the other end goes into that thing.” He pointed.

Watari furrowed his brows. “And where did the previous cable go again?”

Matt sighed. “Over there. Between those two.”

“Oh, my apologies,” Watari grumbled. He shoved some more clothes out of the way. “And this one, one more time?”

Matt groaned before Watari shot him a look, and Matt immediately stopped. “Sorry, sir.”

“I may not be good at this, but I’m all you have right now,” Watari reminded him. “When L returns, he’ll help you instead. Just have some patience.”

Which was, really, a fantastic moment for L to have arrived back at, all things considered. L walked in uncharacteristically jovially, with an odd almost swagger, and Watari and Matt shared a look of solidarity before Watari put his hands on his hips.

“Watari,” L said politely. “And Matt. You’re both still awake?”

“I’ve slept enough,” Matt muttered next to Watari.

“We had to set up the equipment,” Watari reminded L. “Which isn’t being helped by the mess you left.”

“Oh,” L said. “My apologies.”

There was color in L’s cheeks, and a softness to him that Watari hadn’t seen in over two decades. He looked so much younger, when he slumped against the wall, in a way that had Watari suddenly yearn for when L was still just a little boy, clutching to his coat.

“I take it it went well,” Watari said.

“Can he talk about this while he helps me?” Matt threw in.

“It did,” L said as he pushed off the wall. “It’s quite exciting.”

He kneeled down next to Matt and was given some quick instructions before he went to work. Relief flooded through Matt’s face when L didn’t ask to be told the directions a second or a third time.

“I’m glad,” Watari said. “I’m sorry for the interruptions, though.”

“I’ve decided to instead believe it made the night memorable,” L sulked a bit. “Even if it was not what I had planned.”

“And what did you plan? Getting wine tossed in your face and being left with the bill for a meal no one ate?” Matt snarked.

“Yes, precisely,” L nodded. “So really, this night was a huge success.”

Watari could imagine. The front of L’s shirt was crumpled and wrinkled, and he was fairly certain L’s lower lip was bruised. He was only fairly certain because after he noticed, he’d been averting his eyes. He didn’t need to know the details.

“Although, Light doesn’t like wine,” L continued. “Which made my plans shot from the start.”

“That’s so pathetic,” Matt muttered.

“Mello hasn’t returned yet, either,” Watari cut in. “But he did check in approximately fifteen minutes ago. He was on his way back. He followed their car until it went on a private road with a fence.”

“So long as he has the license plate, that will be a huge help,” L dismissed. “Especially if it is the man’s car. I’m hoping that it is Reiji.”

“I agree. I also made sure Mello remembered the route he took to get to the road he lost them on.”

“Good,” L agreed. “...And where’s Near?”

“With Mello,” Matt snickered. “Since Mello can’t use the camera and drive at the same time.”

“Oh dear,” L sighed.

“And that’s what you missed on _Glee_ ,” Matt summarized.

“I’ll message Matsuda and Light with the new address,” Watari said as he moved to leave the room. “And do remember, they will be here early tomorrow, so I highly recommend picking up this mess.”

L, thoroughly scolded, picked up a singular shirt and put it in the closet. Watari tried to not yell at him.

“Goodnight, Watari,” L said. “Please, rest.”

“We’ve got this,” Matt added on. “‘Cause I’m really not sleeping any time soon.”

Watari frowned before he gave them a nod and headed to the door. He was looking forward to sleeping, to actually getting to take a break. It seemed like heaven to him at the moment.

As he was leaving, he heard Matt say, “By the way, dude, it’s super obvious you made out with Light. You should change or Mello will blow.”

And Watari wished he could bleach out his brain.


	18. Obnoxious Buildings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light is still not quite over everything that had happened the previous night, his brain playing it all on high alert. How was he supposed to handle this? How was he supposed to act and say and do? Why does Misa already fucking know? Matsuda and Matt, however, could care a bit less as they go to meet a Namikawa about some things he may have done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, beautiful readers! It's been such a roller coaster week! I got into grad school (YAY), but my job is piling on the work (ew). It's an odd mix of things, but I always love posting a new chapter for you all to enjoy. Thank you so much for reading this far, and please, please, please feel free to come bother me on tumblr or twitter!

This was not a hotel Light would’ve been able to afford to stay at in a million years. It was huge, and likely five-star, and Light cautiously walked into the lobby with his shined but cheap shoes. He almost felt like he shouldn’t even be in there, with the high ceiling and chandeliers, but he supposed he had no choice.

He pulled his phone out to check the room number again when he saw he had thirty-eight new messages, and he rolled his eyes.

_LIGHT!!!!!!!!!!_

_MATSUDA TOLD ME!!!!!!!!!!_

It’d been that way since last night. When he’d gotten back into his apartment, after… Ah, after the thing, he’d noticed it. She’d sent sixteen messages in about five minutes, and Light hadn’t looked at any or responded to any. And now it was at thirty-eight. When did Matsuda get Misa's phone number?

He stepped towards the elevator and scrolled through them all, horrified at the number of exclamation points Misa liked to use. He vowed to murder Matsuda when he next saw him as Misa’s texts went on to explain exactly all that Matsuda had said, and in how much detail, and he angrily jabbed the elevator button.

“Oh, Light!”

Light blinked and looked up, and immediately decided to go a bright red as L looked at him from the elevator. He looked like a mess once more, his glasses slipping down his nose, and yet. And fucking yet.

Light groaned at himself. This was _not_ sultry. There was absolutely _no_ reason to find this wreck of an outfit _handsome_.

And yet he did.

“Good morning,” Light coughed as he joined L in the elevator. “Why’re you in the elevator?”

“I decided to come meet you,” he hummed. “I thought I would have to wait for a short time, but here you are.”

That was not touching. That was not cute. That was not something Light liked.

Light thought he should write a book titled _A Hundred Lies I Tell Myself_.

“Oh,” Light said. “That’s… That’s kind of you.”

L took Light’s hand in his own the moment Light was close enough. It pleased Light to his very core, despite having hated it in every previous relationship he’d had. But there was something about the way L did it, the careful and methodical way L would first sweep his thumb across Light’s palm, that made it so great.

Great felt like such an insufficient word.

“I must also admit, though, that Matsuda was another factor that led me to wait for you,” L admitted. “He is incessant.”

Light could only imagine. If he knew Matsuda, which he did and for too long, Matsuda was probably trying to get information out of L. He suspected that the dumbass was trying to get L to tell him all that had happened, just like Misa was trying to do with Light.

“You had me believing that you were romantic for a moment there,” Light chuckled.

“Romantic?”

L was close, and watching him intently. Light was used to and yet unused to it, used to L watching him but unused to the new context. It was enough for Light, who had so much pride and yet somehow so little composure around this man, to look down.

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes, I do,” L informed him happily. “I’m sorry to have disappointed you.”

He was close, and Light let L pull him in that little bit closer. Kissing someone and genuinely wanting it was an odd feeling, one Light was getting a bit addicted to already, but he still had no idea why.

Why the hell was this walking dumpster fire the one person he’s ever really wanted to kiss?

L was much too smug when he pulled away, and that was yet another thing Light didn’t know the reason for. He decided as the elevator dinged that he wasn’t going to think about it, at least not for the moment. He’d let L have his smug minute.

L led him by the hand to the door of a random hotel room before Light stopped and pulled away.

“Before we go in…”

“I know,” L said quietly. “Public displays of affection make you uncomfortable. At least, in front of those you know.”

Should he be worried or turned on that L knew it without him saying anything?

Wait, no, not _turned on_ -

“Yes,” Light struggled out. “That’s accurate.”

“Even though everyone in this room already knows…” L trailed off and this close, Light could count the number eyelashes L had and the faint freckles developing on his face from the Los Angeles sun. Light scowled.

“No, don’t even attempt to pull that on me,” Light scolded. “And if you ever attempt it again, at least be more subtle.”

“Are you… More offended that I was overly obvious than you are about me attempting to push you out of your comfort zone?” L blinked, stunned, and Light ignored the pleased twinkle to his eyes. “You’re quite interesting, Light.”

Light glared before gesturing for L to open the door into the room, and L gave him one more smug half-smile before he used the key card. Light would’ve hit him, if he weren’t immediately drawn to not only the size of the room, but also the nearly dead Mello in the middle of it.

“Not again,” L said. “Mello, wake up.”

“Huh?” the corpse muttered. “What? I’m… I’m awake.”

“This man needs 50CCs of coffee, stat!” Matt muttered from his spot next to Mello.

“Skip the coffee,” Mello groaned. “Just inject caffeine into me. Directly into my fucking blood stream.”

“I would like to see this experiment,” Near added in. “Where can we acquire some pure caffeine?”

“None of you will be doing that,” Watari cut off. “I’ll go to Starbucks.”

“Um?” Light huffed. “What on Earth is going on?”

“Mello has not slept in approximately 29 hours,” L informed him. “And now he’s whining about it.”

“I need my sleep and I fucking admit it,” Mello whined. “So fuck all of you.”

“There, there,” Matt hushed. He patted the top of Mello’s head. “I’m sure I have no idea what not sleeping for a while is like.”

“Fuck you,” Mello shot back. “And don’t touch my hair.”

“Mello followed them for a while last night,” L filled Light in. “And then he helped Matt and I set up the equipment.”

“And he found Reiji!” Matsuda piped up from behind a monitor. “So that’s good!”

“Yes, Reiji Namikawa. He’s only been arrested for drug possession three times,” L said blandly. “All three of which were cocaine.”

“Oh, of course,” Light sighed. “And let me guess, he has ties to someone?”

“Actually, his Facebook messages said he’s trying to buy drugs, so we can bring him in for that,” Matt said. “And honestly, Takada most likely saw you two at the restaurant. I talked to her apartment, and she put in her thirty-day notice.”

“Oh, so she saw L and I at… Ah,” Light grumbled to cover his embarrassment. “I take one night off, and all of this happens?”

“I know the feeling,” L agreed. Light restrained from smacking the back of his head.

“And who’s going and getting him?”

“Me!” Matsuda beamed. “And Matt. It would’ve been Mello, but he’s down for the count.”

“Fuck you,” Mello warbled out.

“Is that the only thing you know how to say?” Matt asked the leather pile.

“We were actually just about to leave soon,” Matsuda continued. “So you got here just on time!”

“Do you wanna move to your bed?” Matt asked Mello, and Mello’s only response was he flipped him off. “I’ll take that as a no.”

“This case is doomed,” Light muttered as he decided to collapse onto the couch in the room.

L collapsed beside him and nodded. “If they bring Namikawa back at all, dead or alive, I will consider it a success.”

Light snorted as Matsuda protested in the background. Light looked up to tell Matsuda to shut up, when Matt suddenly picked Mello up disturbingly easily, and made a quick and smooth exit, stage right. Everyone watched as Mello struggled half-heartedly, an odd tension filling the room.

“Put me down! _Bitch! Motherfucker_!” Mello shrieked as they went out the door.

As Matt went further down the hall, the cries got quieter, and quieter, the room in shock. Even Light didn’t know what to make of it, his brain playing the moment on loop in his head.

A long silence fell as everyone exchanged looks.

“...Did he just pick Mello up like he weighed the same as like… Tissue paper?” Matsuda whispered. “Is Matt ripped?”

No one else knew what to say.

~~

Namikawa worked in a shiny office building that had too many windows and an air of pretentiousness that one could only really get in LA. That is to say, it shined horribly in the sun and blinded every poor civilian who had to be around it, simply because the monument had to be the biggest eyesore in the surrounding area. How else was the owner of the building going to prove they had the biggest dick, after all?

Matsuda and Matt both shared a look as they walked into the building, both tired and more than a little wary of the security guard at the door. He kept looking at them oddly, and he didn’t wave back when Matsuda attempted to be friendly. It was then and there that Matsuda decided he hated the building as a whole, and he walked in without further debate on the matter.

The inside was too brightly lit and much too shiny, just like the outside. There was also an odd power dynamic in the way that the other people in the building glared at them. Matsuda walked up to the lobby counter and smiled at the man behind it as he approached, and the man did not smile back. He added another tally to his hate list.

“Hello,” Matsuda greeted. “I’m here to see Mr. Namikawa?”

The man stared at him before typing something into the computer in front of him. Matt was humming a bit nervously beside him, and huh, was Matt humming Lady Gaga?

“Take the elevator and go to the 35th floor,” the man grunted at them. “Notify his secretary and he’ll help you.”

Matsuda nodded before looking back to Matt, where they shared a look of disgust. He and Matt got each other, Matsuda thought, and together they walked over to the elevator. The doors of it, just like the outside, were obnoxious, but they both were numb to it by then.

“What was his problem?” Matsuda muttered.

“I’m in goggles a vest,” Matt replied. “Turns most people off.”

They stepped in and pressed for the 35th floor as Matsuda considered that. He couldn’t even imagine having the confidence to pull off that look, but that’s why he admired Matt a bit. He frowned.

“Damn, so that means you don’t pick up chicks very much, huh?” Matsuda said, his brain going to the first place it always went. What a sad life Matt must lead! “That sucks.”

“I’m not really looking around anymore anyways,” Matt said. He shuffled a bit to lean against a wall. “You know how it goes.”

“Oh? Anymore?” Matsuda shrugged a bit. “Ouch, man. Rejected?”

“No, I never attempted,” Matt explained. He shrugged a bit. “Turns out I’m into the whole pining thing.”

“Yikes,” Matsuda laughed. Matt looked amused for a moment in solidarity. “You should go for it, though! What’s the worst that could happen?”

“You’re too into this all,” Matt said. “And I’d probably be shot. Or screamed at. Or stabbed, actually. Actually, no, some combination of the three.”

Actual concern filled Matsuda as his amusement turned to horror. Matt had the audacity to laugh a bit at him.

“...You should re-evaluate your tastes there, Matt.”

“Yeah, probably,” Matt agreed. “But whatever at this point, yeah?”

Matt was using his phone to do something that was causing there to be beeps every now and then. The beeps caused a cog in Matsuda’s brain to turn a bit, and he gasped as he thought of a new question.

“Oh, hey, by the way, how do you get so much information so fast?” Matsuda asked. “Like how worried do I have to be about what you know about me?”

“Emails are easy to hack,” Matt waved off. “And phone warrants are easy as fuck to get, if you know the right people.” He looked up and smiled evilly. “But don’t worry, Matsuda… No one will know about how many hours you’ve put into _Stardew Valley_. Or how many of the bachelors you've wooed.”

As Matsuda went to protest, the elevator paused and more people got on with them. Matsuda realized what Matt had meant earlier as all of the suits started to blend together, but Matt stood out like a sore thumb. Matt didn’t even flinch at the stares he got, though, so Matsuda didn’t let it bother him either, especially as he was much too bothered by the information Matt probably had on him.

Eventually, they reached the 35th floor and stepped out into an office. There were some people milling about and working, but there was also another man behind a counter that Matsuda and Matt both walked up to.

“Hi, I need to speak to Mr. Namikawa?” Matsuda asked politely.

“He’s in a meeting. Are you his ten-thirty?” the secretary replied. Matsuda shook his head.

“No, we’re not,” Matsuda said. “We need to speak with him, though.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in,” the secretary said. “You have to have an appointment.”

So Namikawa was one of those people, huh? Matsuda sighed and reached into his pocket before he pulled out his badge. The secretary sighed heavily.

“Is it cocaine possession again?” he asked.

“I can neither confirm nor deny,” Matsuda confirmed. Matt snorted when the secretary looked tired. “But please, we need to speak with him.”

The secretary rolled his eyes before pointing in the direction of an office. “I’ll tell him you’re here. Please wait in his office; he’s in a meeting about funding for our department. Once I have a job to keep, you can feel free to arrest him.”

How practical, Matsuda thought. With that, they walked down a short hall and into a large office with a great view of the other ostentatious building across the street. Somewhere far below them, people were walking on the sidewalks, and there were cars stuck in traffic. Otherwise, the office was bland and lacked any real decor in the same way that a brand new car did. Somehow, it smelled like a new car, too.

“Wow, what a shitty office,” Matt snickered.

“This sucks!” Matsuda agreed. “He doesn’t even have a view. This just makes me afraid of heights all over again.”

Some commotion started up outside, and the secretary could be heard yelling. Matsuda took in a deep breath and held it for a second before releasing it, and he and Matt exchanged looks once more.

“He’s running, isn’t he?” Matsuda groaned.

“Of course he is,” Matt sighed out.

They took off into the hallway once more.

~~

Namikawa sat in the metal chair of their interrogation room with dignity, which was shocking given that he had scuffle marks on his jacket and clothes from when he tried to run. L was almost impressed at the display of pride, except Namikawa was a coward who was addicted to cocaine and who had apparently lost in a scuffle to fucking _Matsuda. Matsuda_!

L was trying to not let it show that he looked down on Namikawa so heavily, but Light was seeing through him down to L’s protective core. It probably didn’t help that L tried to do the interrogation himself.

“I know what to ask him,” Light said with an eye roll. “I’ve done plenty of interrogations, L.”

“Yes, but he may be dangerous. I don’t like it.”

“Matsuda was able to take him down. And I’m not asking for your permission, you giant baby,” Light sighed. “I’ll be fine.”

L grumbled as Light put his hands on his hips, his face firm and determined. He wanted to replace Light’s hands with his own, but he held himself back. “I know that, but that doesn’t mean I like it. I know you’re fully capable of doing your job- I just don’t like parts of your job.”

Light narrowed his eyes at L and his lips became a hard line. “The same job you do.”

“Am I not allowed to be concerned?” L huffed. “That seems a bit unfair.”

“Your concern is getting in the way of our job, so no, you can’t.” Light popped a hip out a bit, and L’s eyes traced the line of Light’s side. “I should’ve been in there five minutes ago, but you started this whole thing.”

L frowned. “I don’t like Namikawa. I like you. Therefore, I don’t want you two in the same room together. I didn’t mean to step on your pride- I just don’t want you to strain yourself.”

“I’ve got this,” Light said bluntly. “Look, I need to go in. This is my job, and I can do it. Well. So take your concern, and bottle it the fuck up.”

L flinched slightly at that. Light left in a huff, and Watari sighed from the corner by the door. He waited a moment before he came to L, who felt miserable.

“You need to learn to give him space,” Watari warned.

“I realize. I know he only lashed out because he felt insulted,” L sighed. “Our work is dangerous, and of course he knows that.”

“You’re learning,” Watari reminded L. “Don’t expect to always get it right. Luckily, he doesn’t seem actually mad at you.”

L sulked for another moment longer before Light walked into the other room. Namikawa was a tall and lean man with long hair and an even longer history of drug possession and related charges, and as Light walked in, Namikawa watched him for just a bit too long.

“Reiji Namikawa?” Light asked. Namikawa nodded. “I’m Detective Yagami.”

“Hello, officer,” Namikawa said politely, and L kind of hated him. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Light replied. “But here you are for your fourth drug offense. Tell me, how did you avoid the three strikes law?”

“I have great lawyers,” Namikawa said. “Who should be present. I want my lawyer.”

“Oh, c’mon, Reiji,” Light said conversationally. “We’re just talking. Do you really need a lawyer?”

“Yes,” Namikawa said. He blinked before he tilted his head a bit, hair trailing on the table. “But something tells me you’ll be lending me a hand.”

There was something about the way he said it that made L tilt his head a bit. What was it about Namikawa that L was having so much trouble getting over?

Ah, L realized. It was the way it nearly dripped with innuendo, if it weren’t for Namikawa’s civil tone.

“What’s a lawyer really going to do here?” Light said. “We’re willing to make a deal with you. Do you really want to go through all that red tape?” Namikawa considered it for a moment before he straightened his back.

“I’ll hear the deal then I’ll decide,” Namikawa allowed. “And it depends on what you want.”

“We have questions about someone you know,” Light told him. “And we won’t press any charges, if what you tell us is good enough.”

Namikawa seemed to weigh it in his head before giving way to something. Horrifically, he gave Light a once over that made L connect about seven dots and very rapidly.

“Does your number come with that, too?” Namikawa asked, and Watari put a hand on L’s shoulder and squeezed. Possessiveness was a bitter thing, with the way it made L very suddenly want to rage and maybe hurl. His biggest comfort was that Light, for such a short moment L thought he imagined it, looked absolutely disgusted.

“Excuse me?” Light asked faux innocently.

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” Namikawa said with a head shake. “It was a long shot.”

The hard set to Light’s jaw was soothing. The way Light leaned as far away as possible was also comforting. Damn, L really wished he were doing the interview and not Light.

“Do you accept our terms?” Light asked as Namikawa continued to look at him for too long.

“I can’t have another conviction,” he replied. “I’ll be fired. So I’ll play along.”

Light nodded before pulling out the picture of Takada, and L watched as Namikawa attempted to brush Light’s hand as he took it. L found himself snorting when Light pulled his hand away quickly, and Light’s other hand tapped an agitated beat on the table.

“Do you know this woman?”

“Kiyomi Takada,” Namikawa said. “She used to work for the mayor’s office. She definitely doesn’t do that anymore.”

“And what does she do now?” Light asked. Namikawa hesitated before sighing softly.

“Drugs,” Namikawa said bluntly. “Sells them, actually. She wanted me to help.”

That was unsurprising. Light glanced towards approximately where L and Watari were, relief that they finally did have something to work with written on his face.

“What was she trying to get you to do?” Light continued.

“She wanted me to sell cocaine to higher ups,” Namikawa said heavily. “She’s been harassing me about it for weeks, especially since I owe certain people some money.”

“Certain people?”

“A loan shark,” Namikawa coughed. “I was suspended for a bit from my job after my third arrest. I have bills to pay.”

“Will you tell us more?”

“Takada offered to pay him off for me. So, I considered her offer and met her for dinner- last night, actually. But the woman’s a… Well, pardon me, but she’s a bitch. The terms she wanted would’ve done nothing for me.”

“He’s very cooperative,” L muttered to Watari. “She must have offended him.”

“What were her terms?”

“She would’ve kept most of the profits,” Namikawa sneered. “She’s rather greedy.”

“Did she discuss anything else with you?” Light looked at L again, more relief on his face.

“I know for a fact that she works for Rod Ross,” Namikawa said. “And I can guarantee, knowing her, that she probably wants his spot at the head of the table. But she’s leaving the country soon, so that’s a bust. I think she said she’s going to Poland?”

“You’re very willing to talk,” Light said back. “Aren’t you worried about retaliation?”

“No,” Namikawa huffed out. “I know people, who know other people, and Takada is hardly a threat to me. See, Ross is a thug, but he’s straightforward and doesn’t play around. She sells you crap she says is higher end but isn’t.”

“You want to keep the market at a certain point?” Light sputtered a bit.

“Of course. I’m an addict, and I admit that,” Namikawa said. “By the way, she’s leaving the country in three days.”

There was a long moment where L watched Light actually attempt to pick up the weird and insane pieces that L himself was trying to pick up. It was absolutely insane to have the knowledge of cocaine market prices. It was insane to think of a cocaine economy.

By God, there was a cocaine economy.

“That’s good enough, right?” Namikawa asked. “I’m not going to be charged?”

“Tell me a little bit more about her connection to Ross, and I’ll let you leave,” Light said back. Namikawa sighed.

“I’m not going to upset Ross,” Namikawa returned. “But I will say that he likes her, not just professionally. Despite the fact that she’d insulted everyone in the business at least once.”

L had been right. It was as clear as day that Takada had said something to insult him at some point. Luckily for them, he had such a clear form of revenge. Light seemed to accept that Ross was safe for now and nodded a bit.

“How can we verify all of this? How do we know you’re not lying?”

“She has books. I know because she showed me one during dinner last night. They detail everything as far as I can tell, but she protects them fiercely.”

“I see,” Light said. He wrote several things down and was flipping through some other notes L had given him before he went in, while Namikawa squirmed a bit.

L looked to Watari, who was already messaging Matt at that moment. Watari nodded when he looked over and met L’s eyes.

“Can I go back to work now? I already made a scene,” Namikawa asked. Light looked up and scowled briefly.

“Yes,” Light said as he closed his file and stood. He slid Takada’s picture back into the folder. “Thank you for your cooperation. If we find out these were lies, we will come by and pick you back up, and the charges will stick.”

“Will I get your number?” Both L and Light tensed at that, and Watari’s hand found L’s shoulder once more. L tried, and failed, to not hate the man in the other room had helped them so much, but he noted Light looked furious.

“I don’t believe my boyfriend would appreciate that,” Light said sharply. “Detective Matsuda will be returning you to work.”

L inhaled his own spit and started choking on it, and Watari sighed like he’d pulled a muscle.


	19. What Light Does to a Person

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the calm before a storm. Armed with the knowledge that Takada is fleeing the country, and soon, they all need to act and now. They need evidence, and fast, and it's time to call someone unexpected to help them all. Besides, L needs someone to talk to, and Light needs a little more embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning from my neck of the woods! I'm watching the chapters slowly get uploaded and I'm just... Dying? Thank you all so much for supporting me this far, and enjoy!

“We have more than enough to bring her in for,” Light said as they all sat in the main room. He was pacing (avoiding L’s ecstatic energy), and his mind was stuck on the fact that he’d have to quit. There was no way around it. Matsuda had been right, goddamnit.

“We have the word of a criminal,” L said. “Which is enough to question her for, but for any meaningful conviction, we need more proof.”

“Namikawa mentioned some books,” Near said. “Perhaps those can prove she was speaking to Ross and her business.”

“We never finished going through the tapes either,” Light said. “Maybe there’s something on those.”

“Our main concern is preventing her from fleeing the country,” L reminded them. “To do that, we need something more concrete. Otherwise, we can only legally hold her for forty-eight hours, and she can simply exchange her ticket for a later flight.”

“We have to have something we can prove and arrest her for,” Light groaned. “And all we have is circumstantial and the word of a drug addict.”

“He’s better than nothing,” Matsuda pointed out. “If it came down to it, we could use him. I mean, would he testify?”

“He might,” L allowed. “After all, his main concern was simply the market value of cocaine.”

They shared a small silence of solidarity over the absurdity of such a situation. Light cleared his throat to break it.

“That wouldn’t put her behind bars, though,” Light said. “And no prosecutor would move forward with such little evidence. Not even Mikami.”

“Does he still send you flowers on your birthday?” Matsuda asked Light, and Light watched L whip to look at Light with a thunderous storm on his face. Light sighed and shook his head.

“We need to search her apartment,” Matt cut in. “But the warrant would take way too long to get. Especially since she’s already probably shredding things as we speak.”

“Takada would never let us in willingly, though,” Matsuda groaned. “She clearly knows we know.”

L left thunderous rage behind for a thoughtful neutral, and Light breathed a sigh of relief internally. There was going to be a discussion later, wasn’t there? Light jumped a bit when L gasped.

“Is Misa a good actress?” L asked. Confusion fluttered across everyone else, except Light clicked to what L was saying. Watching L watch him connect it all was a bit of a rush, especially as L looked pleased and interested, but he ignored his dumb feelings.

“She’s a model. Her whole life is an act,” Light replied. “And she’s been doing just fine with Takada up to now…”

There was an audible moment as the others put it together. It was immediately followed by Matsuda standing up dramatically.

“Misa’s a civilian!” Matsuda shrieked.

“Call her, and get her here. She needs to be briefed about what to look for, and what to do if she’s caught. We may even want to wire her, for her own safety,” L told Light. “I’m sure the State would also like us to have her sign some form of paperwork, too.”

Light cracked a smile at L’s joke, even if no one else did. With the way Near was twirling his hair faster than before, and the way Matt was scratching the back of his head, he determined that they agreed with the plan even if they weren’t comfortable with it.

“Wait!” Matsuda yelled. “This is not the place to bring in a civilian! She could get hurt, or even killed!”

“Do you have a better plan, Matsuda?” Light asked as he whipped his phone out.

“I… No, but-”

“We don’t have the time to delay. Misa likely won’t be able to get in to the apartment today, and that already severely cuts our time,” L cut him off. “She’s leaving, and very soon, and after that she’ll be much more careful and vanish.”

Matsuda slumped in his chair and put his hands over his face. Light felt sorry for him, for a brief moment, before his phone stopped ringing.

“Light! What happened? You’re calling me!”

He’d pulled his phone away from his ear before she had answered, and he was glad he did as she yelled. He gave the room one last glance before he started walking towards the door.

“Misa,” Light said as he stepped out of the room, “can we ask you a huge favor?”

~~

“I’ve never played a secret agent before!” Misa chirped. Light was sighing quietly from his spot by the door, and Ryuzaki was humming on the couch. She looked between the two and smiled. “How exciting!”

“This is very serious, and we need to make sure you’ll be absolutely careful,” Light groaned.

“Oh, let me have my fun,” she laughed. Ryuzaki was chuckling lightly, and she turned to him. “It’s not every day that the FBI asks you to help them!”

“She’s not wrong,” Ryuzaki tossed in. Misa made sure to be extra dramatic as she sat down beside him on the couch and hugged him, watching the way Light followed her every move. Teasing him was far too fun.

“See? My new bestie gets it!”

“Your _what_ now?” Light muttered.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Ryuzaki informed Light. “We became friends behind your back. We even text.”

“You _do_?” Light choked, and Misa couldn’t contain her giggle.

“No, but we should,” Misa said. She pulled her phone out and unlocked it before opening up her contacts. With another giggle, she looked to Ryuzaki. “What’s your number, Ryuzaki?”

“Anyways,” Light rushed, “we have plans to prepare?”

Ryuzaki grabbed her phone and began making a new contact, and Misa started laughing. Light grumbled something from his spot, but the pair on the couch ignored him for a moment before she got her phone back.

“Yes. We need to give a good excuse for you wanting to spend some time at her apartment. We need something that will make sure you are there and not out while also giving you enough time to look around,” Ryuuzaki stated.

“Weird letter from a fan,” Misa said immediately. She fired off a text that made Ryuzaki’s phone beep loudly. “I’ll say I don’t want to be alone. Easy-peasy!”

There was a silence, so she looked up to see them both blinking at her. Ugh, men, she swore. She rolled her eyes at them.

“I’m not a ditz, y’know. I just play one.”

“You have my number now,” Ryuzaki said as he quickly sent her the thumbs up emoji. “We will be monitoring you, but if you’re unable to say anything, you can still message either Light or I.”

“Ooh, cool. You cool with texting just for funsies, too?” she asked.

“What,” Light muttered when Ryuzaki nodded. “You two are what now.”

“Do you need us to write a letter for you?” her new bestie asked as he looked amusedly at Light. Light glared back at him, and she giggled at their antics. “I’m sure Light would write something quite terrifying.”

“If you want to,” she laughed out. “Wow, Light would be good at it, wouldn’t he?”

“Your handwriting is bad,” Light said to Ryuzaki in a rush. “And we both know you’re creepier than me.”

“You wound me,” Ryuzaki sighed. “And I thought you cared about me. How am I supposed to trust you now.”

“Yeah, Light, how is he supposed to trust you now? You were his one source of trust,” Misa piped in.

Light glared at them both and blushed deeply, a shade that Misa had never seen him go before. It was odd to see, and her chest seized up unexpectedly, but she didn’t let her smile falter. Not yet.

“You two play off of one another too well,” he huffed.

“No, we just both enjoy teasing you,” Ryuzaki announced. “And she is my wingwoman.” Misa clapped a hand over her chest, conniving solidarity rushing through her.

“Aww, Ryuzaki!” she sniffled. “Of course I am!”

“I hate both of you,” Light whined.

“By the way, how did you two’s date go?” she asked as Light went back to putting his hands over his face. “I mean, other than the obvious.”

“Light told a witness I was his boyfriend,” Ryuzaki said happily. “It was very rewarding.”

“Please, shut up,” Light groaned.

“Oh! And so soon! Wow, Ryuzaki, you really snatched him up, huh?” Misa elbowed him and raised her eyebrows a bit. “Just remember to invite me to your wedding.”

Light started choking. She debated asking if Light needed CPR or maybe the Heimlich while Ryuzaki smiled at Light in a way she didn’t think she was supposed to see. It was too soft, and too private, so she averted her eyes.

“I’m going to inform the others of what was decided here,” Light sputtered as he backed away. Embarrassment was never something Light was good at hiding, and it made her heart sting for a moment. “I’ll. I’ll be right back.”

The door slammed behind him, and they were silent for a moment.

“You scared him off,” Ryuzaki chuckled eventually.

“Please, he’s easy to scare off. Keeping him is the hard part,” Misa sighed. “I would know.”

He tensed beside her on the sofa. She didn’t blame him, either. The sudden reminder of who she was and what exactly her relationship had been with Light wasn’t something she ever expected Ryuzaki to be fully comfortable with, not when she knew she wouldn’t have been comfortable with it if she were Ryuzaki.

“Yes, he’s skiddish. Like a rabbit, perhaps,” Ryuzaki agreed.

She chose her words carefully before she continued again. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him care this much,” she said quietly. “You must be really something.”

Touched was the wrong word for what she saw on Ryuzaki’s face, but it was the closest she had. There was a long moment before she leaned her head against his shoulder, her mind made up. He clearly wasn’t expecting it, but something made Misa believe he liked the comfort.

“I don’t know why he picked me,” Ryuzaki suddenly admitted. He seemed confused at his own confession, but Misa wasn’t. Talking about Light required someone else who truly understood what Light did to a person. “It still seems surreal.”

He didn’t push her away, which was nice. Part of her respected that he was willing to speak frankly with her, even if he was clearly choosing his words just as carefully as she was. But she saw through it, recognized it, and even empathized so thoroughly with it that she continued on. Like all the geniuses she’d met, he was guarded, and she followed through with being there for him.

“You’re in love with him already, aren’t you?”

He tensed to the point that she wasn’t even sure he was breathing. It made many things very obvious to her within seconds, and she smiled softly.

“It’s too early to say,” he lied. “We’ve only had one date, after all.”

“Hmm,” she hummed. “That’s what I said, too.”

Ryuzaki took in a tiny, shaking breath, and she closed her eyes.

What made Ryuzaki so perfect when Misa hadn’t been? It ricocheted through her mind before she could stop it, and she felt the pain in her chest. Some dark part of her was angry that this man came in and swept Light off his feet, while Misa had been there longer and done nothing to Light’s heart. Some part of her was still so heartbroken that Light hadn’t felt the same, and that she had lost her chance entirely.

She let herself feel it for a moment before she let it go.

Ryuzaki was a good person, even if he denied it. He wasn’t playing with Light, he wasn’t toying with his feelings, and Misa knew, deep down, that he would always be the best choice in the end. They were on the same wavelength, and they got each other on an entirely different level than Misa could even dream of. She’d been someone Light put up with.

Ryuzaki was someone Light chose.

She didn’t move away from Ryuzaki and he didn’t tell her off, so she stayed, until Light returned to the room. He blinked when he came in, and she smiled at him.

“Did I miss something?” Light asked.

She let herself have one last look, before she finally let Light go.

~~

Light sighed and slumped further into his seat. After a blisteringly long day of coaching Misa, she had finally met their satisfactory benchmark for ‘probably not going to die’ and she finally went to the room down the hall to sleep. She was taking Near’s room, apparently, forcing several others to share rooms, and Light had been avoiding for the past ten minutes thinking about why exactly none of them had volunteered L’s room to anyone else but him.

He’d nearly messaged Matsuda to tell him to stay to avoid the others’ looks in the morning, but he already figured out how that conversation would’ve gone. He didn’t need to add any more fuel to the fire.

L was sitting somewhere to Light’s right on the couch, typing away at his computer, and Light desperately wanted someone to say something to get rid of the weird feeling that had settled in his guts.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” Light decided to ask to break that tension.

L looked up at him, fingers paused above the keys in a way that seemed almost comical. He tilted his head before he slowly nodded.

“Yes, I believe so,” L reassured. “I’m making contingency plans, currently, to doubly protect her.”

“Oh, that’s what you’re doing,” Light said. “How morbid.”

L looked at him curiously before shifting a bit closer. He put a hand on Light’s shoulder and squeezed it, and Light realized L was attempting to comfort him. Something in him sighed in what may have been frustration.

“Misa won’t be hurt,” L comforted. “I recognize she’s… Important to you.”

That hadn’t been the issue on Light’s mind at all, frankly. He appreciated the effort, but he supposed L couldn’t always be a mind reader. That was more comforting than L’s hand on his shoulder, ridiculously, and Light sighed.

“She is, in a weird way,” Light admitted. “I find her annoying but, I mean, I don’t want her to die. Not when she’s trying, in her own way. ...I attract weird people.”

“Yes, you do,” L confirmed. “Which I must say I’m grateful for.”

L shifted a little closer, until he was close enough that Light could feel how warm he was. It was as soothing as it was tensing, and Light gave himself a break to not even attempt to decipher which was stronger.

“Selfish,” Light huffed.

“If you hadn’t been someone who attracted weird people, I wouldn’t have a boyfriend,” L said back. “So I get to be grateful, I believe.”

“It’s still selfish.” Light was blushing, softly but surely, and he turned away a bit so L wouldn’t see. “You like the attention, you spoilt brat.”

“Of course I do,” L chuckled. “Especially when your attention isn’t easily won.”

L was playing with Light’s hair, quietly and softly. The strands that brushed the back of Light’s neck were apparently fascinating to him, and L twisted one around his finger, Light believed. It felt nice, so Light let him. When was the last time anyone had touched his hair? 

He let himself relax in the silence, and he slumped a little bit more. Somewhere in his head, he realized L had stopped typing, but it didn’t quite reach his conscious mind.

“The others were rather eager to let us have this room,” L croaked. Light’s eyes that had drifted closed (but when?) drifted back open. Huh, L’s computer was on the table.

“Were they?” Light played dumb. Oh, dear, his heart was learning how to tango, apparently. He refused to come across as anything but relaxed, but sadly, he knew he was failing. The way L’s eyes drooped slightly said it all, the glasses sliding down his nose emphasizing them, as well as sending Light into a slightly turned on panic. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“Yes,” L confirmed. “Though I don’t quite know what they are expecting. We’re very newly dating, after all.”

“Their minds are in the gutters,” Light somehow got out. He didn’t add that he was newly joining this Gutter Collective. “Most, if not all of them, are idiots.”

“Hmm,” L hummed. “Matsuda certainly, but an argument can be made for the others.”

L decided then to lean in closer, and Light didn’t allow himself to move a single inch. It made his left hand twitch a bit, but he held his position. He was relaxed, damnit. He wasn’t going to let L know how tense he was inside. He loved lying to himself.

“Even Misa?” Light asked. “You two are closer than I thought.”

Another moment passed where L’s fiddling became twitchy and sharper, a shaky quality taking over the once soothing action. Something nervous passed his face at Misa’s name, long enough that Light absolutely had to question it. He opened his mouth to speak when L cut in.

“I think we should make out,” L blurted.

Light looked at him sharply, L recoiling a bit in clear fear that he’d said something offensive. Light couldn’t have cared less, though, as he nominated himself for president of the Gutter Collective. He then won the election in his head and started preparing his Gutter Collective Presidential Speech.

_My fellow Gutter Dwellers._

“Unless, you feel uncomfortable,” L rambled on. “Of course, that was not my intention, nor would I ever want you to feel uncomfortable, and please, stop me from rambling for once, Light.”

“What?” Light blinked out dazedly. He snapped back into the moment and processed L’s words, before frustration sparked up in him. “What about your work?”

“I can finish it in the morning,” L said. “But again, I do realize perhaps that isn’t what you want, and that I may have just said something terribly idiotic in some vain hope that one day, I could potentially take the title for World’s Most Awkward Man-”

“God, stop rambling,” Light groaned. “Just kiss me already.”

L, apparently, did not need to be told twice before acting all at once with a desperation that was horrifically lovely. He’d lurched forward a bit, his glasses smacking the tip of Light’s nose, and it was a bit rough at first, but then L was kissing him, and it really didn’t matter.

Why L couldn’t do anything without tossing himself into it was beyond Light. Even if it was a turn on that L was so eager, Light soothed L a bit by gently kissing him slower and slower, until L had calmed down from whatever adrenaline high he’d had to use to even get here in the first place. And the moment Light did, and the moment Light tilted L a bit more, it was stunning.

Light had always known what to do with his hands. But suddenly they didn’t want to work properly, and instead twitched and clung to L’s arms stupidly. At the same time, L was being methodical and calculating in the way he kissed Light, soft kisses followed by ones that were harsher, rougher, and Light was.

Melting. He was completely turning to goo.

He’d always assumed he was someone who enjoyed passion. When he had launched himself at L in L’s car, it had been a moment of passion. It’d been embarrassing, and humiliating, and Light had lied awake for much of that night thinking about it, but he’d assumed it was the sexiest thing that could have happened there, within reason.

It hadn’t been. If L had been this careful, this _scientific_ about it, Light would’ve likely invited L to his apartment, and shamelessly. It was if L was testing different ways of moving, different pressures, and when L nipped him gently, Light screeched in his own head.

What a horrible thing to realize, he thought. He couldn’t believe that this was so attractive to him.

One of his stupid hands found the back of L’s neck, and he worked on dislodging the other with varying degrees of success. It took him another five kisses before it decided to lock itself around L’s shoulders, and damnit, it was at least better than before, he supposed.

L pushed ever so gently, and Light tumbled back onto the couch with little physical fanfare, even if his brain conjured up an orchestra somewhere.

Light had never been the most aggressive when it came to kissing. He’d never been very into it in general, but L liked to bring out odd sides of him, didn’t he? When L came down with him, Light felt possessive, and vindictive, and embarrassment got picked up and punted to the furthest corner of his mind.

Light pushed back a bit harder, before he licked at L’s bottom lip. When L went to pull back a bit, with a gasp, Light followed him and didn’t let him get away.

L groaned somewhere, and Light spiraled.

It took them a while before either was willing to pull away or pull back, but eventually, Light forcibly made himself gasp for air. The little bits he’d been getting in between kisses hadn’t been enough, and his lungs burned as he heaved a bit.

He immediately began to laugh, too, as he saw L’s glasses, completely fogged up.

“Oh,” L gasped out. “Air is a requirement.”

There was something about the breathless quality to it that made Light puff out more laughter at the irony. L was completely pink, with a sharp red cutting along his cheek bones, and he looked more wild than Light had ever seen him.

“Shocking,” Light breathed. “I would never have guessed. Care to enlighten me further?”

“Are you really giving me sass right now?” L panted. “After I’m literally breathless from kissing you? How rude.”

“It’s my sparkling personality,” Light snarked. “As well as how frustrated I am that you don’t know the meaning of _shutting the fuck up_ , L.”

Light was probably too pleased with how shocked L looked when Light pulled him back down. But for that brief, shining moment, even as he was smacked in the face by L’s glasses again, he didn’t fucking care.


	20. One Gram

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning comes for them, setting them into motion to catch Takada. So long as they can actually wake Light up, of course. And Misa knows she's ready for this, knows what side she wants to fall on in this legally grey situation, but that doesn't mean it's any less nerve-wracking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning! This chapter and the next one are really two parts to the same one, so I might post the next one a little early! Also, if you're a fan of Beyond/Naomi or just really like Halle, I'm writing a fic called _Fire Fight_ and the first chapter is posted! That one will be posting early in the week. Thank you so much for reading this far, it means so much to me!

Under normal circumstances, L would’ve been wide awake and finishing his contingency plans by about four a.m. He would’ve, usually, been completely ready for the operation to start by six a.m., and then, at six-thirty, he would’ve been having breakfast and some tea or coffee.

These were not normal circumstances, and as the clock ticked to seven, L attempted, for the first time, to return some feeling to his arm with minimal success.

Light slept like a ton of bricks, and no amount of poking or prodding was getting Light to move at all. At some point, L’s arm had gotten trapped beneath Light, and Light had taken it upon himself to roll over further onto L’s arm and into L.

God, he loathed having to wake Light up at all.

He’d typed the rest of his plans on his phone, and his eyes hurt with the strain. His glasses had been left in the other room the night before, and while he hadn’t minded, he just really had a fucking headache. But that didn’t matter, couldn’t matter, when Light slept soundly against his chest, and L hadn’t been able to feel his arm in about two hours.

L had woken up that morning at his usual of about three thirty, after approximately four hours of sleep. It was the most he’d slept in days, no, weeks, and he blamed the man still crushing his _fucking arm_ -

He really needed to pee, too. And he wanted food.

He could kick Light awake, and then be violently and immediately ejected from the warm and cozy bed. He could also smack Light awake, but that would give him the same results. He had very few options and a very full bladder, and well, he could ask Watari to bring him some coffee to wake Light up with…

But he didn’t want to move. He liked where he was, liked that Light was a secret cuddler, and liked that he’d even had the chance to sleep with Light, even if it wasn’t the exact meaning of “sleeping with Light” that had been on his mind on a loop.

Light’s eyes fluttered from REM sleep, and L couldn’t resist the urge to kiss his forehead affectionately. Even if he was trying to kill L via limb loss, he was still so cute.

“Light,” L murmured. Light’s nose wrinkled a bit, but he didn’t stir. “Light, please. My arm is gone.”

Light mumbled something but didn’t fully wake up. L found himself chuckling.

“Light, please don’t make me resort to playing your phone’s alarm tone,” L warned.

After another moment of silence, L opened his phone and went to Youtube. He debated on a volume for a bit before he put it next to Light’s ear and pressed play.

Light groaned loudly before swatting at L’s hand, actually succeeding in tossing L’s phone to the bed. L huffed a bit as Light’s eyes opened just to glare at him.

“Why?” Light grumbled as L tried to turn the sound off.

“I need to pee,” L informed him. “And I can’t feel my arm. Please relinquish me.”

Light blinked sleepily before lifting his torso up a bit, and L slid his arm out. Blood rushed through the once dead area, and it felt like pins and needles were stabbing him all over. He sighed in pained relief.

“Thank you,” he said as he hopped up. “Also you should be getting up soon.”

“No,” Light whined. “Five more minutes.”

There was something about the way that Light was partially curled around the empty spot almost expectantly that made L nearly climb back in and say fuck it, but then his bladder yelled at him. He let himself have one more look before he rushed himself to the bathroom.

When he returned, Light was sitting up, his t-shirt hanging loosely from his shoulders. It had been whatever they could get from the store just down the street for Light to wear that night, and it was a few sizes too large. To say L loved it was an understatement. He was going to keep that shirt for forever.

“Are you even vaguely awake?” L asked cautiously.

“Hmph,” Light intoned.

Satisfied that Light wasn’t awake at all, L sat back down on the edge of the bed. In his tired state, Light shamelessly dropped his head to L’s shoulder, and L decided then and there that tired Light was his favorite.

“Do you want anything to eat? We’re going to have a long day today.”

“Hmm,” Light hummed.

“You’re being very unhelpful,” L teased. “I just wanted an answer.”

Light’s head drooped a bit more on L’s shoulder, and soft hair brushed L’s neck. He somehow kept himself from flinching away from the feeling through sheer force of will, which he hadn’t even realized was possible until that point.

“It’s too early,” Light finally mumbled out. “I wanna sleep.”

Light had also hooked his arm with L’s. He had a hand at the crook of L’s elbow quietly, and boy, L needed to wake him up just a tad too early every time. It made him pleased beyond measure and a little bit sappy.

“You can’t,” L told him. “We have to help Misa today, remember? You need to be alert.”

Light leaned more fully against L, and L gave in a little bit. He relaxed against the headboard as Light started to drift off once more.

“Hmn,” Light whined.

L was crumbling. As Light leaned more fully against him, he lamented as he realized he’d totally broken and had no conviction left in him.

“...Fine, ten more minutes,” L caved. “But then you have to be awake, Light. No matter how adorably you beg.”

It seemed that Light was already asleep once more. L chuckled a bit as he moved Light’s hand into his.

“What am I going to do with you?” L asked the quiet room.

The calm before the storm was his only response.

~~

Misa, unlike the others, recognized the grey legality of the entire operation. It was a natural instinct for her, to spot things that would get her into trouble and things that wouldn’t (and to then walk knowingly into trouble anyways), but for once she let it slide without comment. This was important, to Light and to Ryuzaki, and she figured that any huge violations of rights would be swept under the rug by the department quickly anyways in favor of filling another cell.

Takada, if guilty, would take a plea bargain. She knew that deep down. It would never come to light that she was pretty sure Light and Ryuzaki did some shady things to get the evidence they had. Otherwise, the department would screw her even more, and really, Misa better keep her mouth shut, huh?

She sighed through her nose as she stepped into the tall building, her ear buzzing from the tiny earpiece.

“Be careful,” Light was saying. “Don’t do anything that will get you hurt.”

“I would hate to lose my bestie,” Ryuzaki murmured. She didn’t really like how it felt like he was whispering in her ear. “The moment you find anything incriminating, we are pulling you out. Understood?”

“Do you guys ever be quiet?” Misa grumbled. “You’re super distracting!”

Told off enough to actually shut their mouths, Misa entered the elevator in total silence. It felt like a much longer ride than ever before, but she also expected that.

When she reached Takada’s floor, she walked softly towards her door. Before she knocked, she took a moment to smear her makeup and sniffled a bit.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Going in.”

She knocked three short times, and she tried to not let her nerves spike when she heard the sharp tap of a bodyguards heels approach the door. Misa’s heart rate went triple it’s usual, and her hands shook. The line in her ear was silent and waiting with a nervous energy that shot through Misa herself as she made sure her hair covered her ear.

Good. It’d sell the act better.

“Miss Amane,” the guard greeted when she opened the door. “Please, come in.”

“Thanks, Melissa,” Misa sniffled.

The apartment was mostly barren, Misa noted. Most of it was boxed up and packed, but not all of it. There was still most of the furniture, and a few knick knacks were still here and there. She looked in the main room and found Takada slowly putting books into a box.

“Are you moving?” Misa asked as she sniffled. “I’m so sorry… If I had known…”

“No, no, come in,” Takada said as she stood. “I was so worried when you told me what’d happened. Come sit. We’ll get you some tea.”

Misa nodded slowly before sitting down on the sofa. Takada sat next to her and pulled her into a hug that was just a touch too stilted to be genuine, but for a brief moment, Misa appreciated the gesture. Even if it was from a lying woman who didn’t give a shit about her.

“Wendy, bring her some chamomile tea, please. Add a dash of honey to it,” Takada said as she pulled out her phone. Wendy nodded before moving away towards the kitchen, and Takada looked back to Misa when she finished her text. Her mouth twitched a bit. “Men are such entitled pigs. They always think they can just have everything.”

“No matter the cost,” Misa agreed. A small chorus of noise burst in her ear. “I almost wish I had just gotten another dick pic.”

“I’m sure you get plenty,” Takada sighed. “If I get a few myself, you as a model…”

“Once, a guy mailed me a printed photo of himself naked,” Misa shuddered. “It was sent with a pair of his boxers.”

“Disgusting,” Takada spat. “What did this one say? That was so different, I mean.”

Misa racked her mind for the cover story a bit before she let a single tear run down her cheek. “Well, it, uh… It came to my private home address and not my fan mail address.”

“No,” Takada gasped. “That’s horrifying.”

“Yeah. And it talked about just… Things that were inside my home, y’know? Like. It said I had a home fit for ‘us’ and stuff…”

Misa covered her eyes and let herself cry a bit more. In the back of her head, she was running through the night Light broke up with her, the way he had looked just as disingenuously sorry as Takada did right then. Takada was someone pretty similar to him, frankly, which had always made being there a bit more difficult and a bit rougher.

“You’re staying here,” Takada said. Wendy returned with Misa’s drink, and Takada nodded a thanks. “Drink up; you’ll be okay.”

It smelled heavenly. Fresh camomile tea always perked Misa right up, but she tried to stifle her reaction accordingly. She gave a soft thank you before she took a sip.

That’s… Odd.

Her face scrunched up a bit in disgust.“Eugh, salty...”

“Salty?” Light said in her ear. “Honey isn’t salty.”

“Oh, dear. I must have let it steep too long,” Takada sighed. “Here, have some sugar.”

Misa added a few cubes before taking another sip. Takada watched her calmly, before sipping her own. She didn’t flinch or make any face, but she hadn’t added any sugar to hers.

“Thank you. For letting me be here,” Misa said cautiously. “Are you sure this wasn’t a good time?”

“Of course,” Takada nodded. “You’d do the same for me, I know.”

With a blink, Misa’s eyes unfocused a bit. She blinked again to bring them back. “Women have to help each other. Who else will?”

Something about Takada’s smile seemed off, she noted. But then again, the entire world was starting to swirl a bit and- No. No, no, no.

“We always have each other’s backs,” Takada confirmed. Misa felt her eyes widen, but something cold was seeping through her. It felt like her pupils were dilating in slow motion, slowly and painfully. “Don’t we?”

What were her panic button lines? Nausea rushed through her, and she finally stumbled to one as her brain started to slow like molasses.

“I don’t feel good,” Misa croaked. “What kind of honey did you add…? I think I’m allergic…”

“Misa?” Light asked. “Misa? Did you just alert for help?”

She tried to stand, but her legs crumbled beneath her. The cup she’d been holding fell to the floor with a crash, and huh, did Misa land on a piece of it? She tried to move her legs, but it was like moving lead. She felt totally sapped of energy.

“Just relax a bit,” Takada said.

“What did you do to me?” Misa slurred. “What the hell…?”

“Oh, shit, shit! Get up there! Call for backup, now!” Light was yelling. Was that a distant door? She heard the city street briefly, and the wind.

“Wendy? Please help Misa onto the couch,” Takada was saying as she stood and walked away. “That took effect much sooner than hoped. It’s almost problematic how quickly that took hold. Mark this down as a failed experiment.”

The world was going dark. Everything was slurring together, and Misa’s eyes were drooping. She heard quick footsteps all around her, her head screaming. She imagined that this is what being on acid must have felt like.

“Did you drug me?” Misa gasped out.

She heard a door opening and closing, maybe a closet door, and she heard the sounds of zippers and thumps. Some distant part of her realized she was hearing bags, and oh, was Takada really going to leave the lovely furniture behind?

“I didn’t realize it’d be so potent,” Takada was saying. “One-hundred milligrams shouldn't have done this much. She was supposed to just be a bit sedated."

"Ma'am... You sent me to give her one-thousand milligrams," came the panicked response from the guard. "Not one-hundred."

"....I didn't say a _gram_!" Takada yelped. "Wendy!"

Misa forced her eyes open to try to get one last look at them before they left, her heavy body watching Takada shove several journals into the bag she was holding while glaring at Wendy angrily.

“I’ll send a postcard when you wake up,” Takada finally said to Misa.

And Misa’s eyes drifted closed for good.

~~

Takada had known.

Takada had known.

Takada had known.

And now, Misa was unconscious.

Light was huffing for air as they realized Takada wasn’t in the apartment anymore. They couldn’t have gotten far, he knew, but it felt like everything was crashing down around him. Absolutely everything.

Oh, god, he’d just probably gotten Misa killed.

“They must have taken the stairwell,” L said in a rush. “They won’t have left yet. We have to go now, Light.”

He was on autopilot. Nothing made sense and nothing felt very real as he raced down the hallway. His entire life seemed so odd and strange as L shoved open the stairwell doorway and looked down the spiral, his eyes widening.

“There!” L called as he started rushing down. Light followed closely behind him.

If he focused, he could feel the pounding of his feet on the stairs. If he focused, he could feel the way the ground rushed to meet him with each step he took, but he didn’t have the time nor the luxury to focus on that right then. Takada and her guards were below them, and L and Light were in pursuit.

“Matt, get ready,” Light found himself saying. “They’re going to reach the ground floor before we do. Northeast stairwell!”

“Got it,” Matt said. “Just flush them out. We’ve got it after that.”

_BANG!_

Light nearly fell down the flight of stairs as a gunshot echoed through his ears. L himself stumbled a bit before flinging himself to be as close to the wall as possible. Light snapped briefly out of his trance and found his voice.

“Oh, fuck off!” Light yelled downwards. “What is up with you people and shooting at me?”

His legs were screaming, but he shoved them onwards. Shockingly, L was still keeping up an even faster pace than Light, but the man was leaner, for sure. L jangled with each step as his gear rattled, and the vests hung heavily from their shoulders.

Another shot rang through the stairwell, and some pieces of ceiling fell beside them. L ducked his head and stumbled over a step a bit, regaining his footing at the last second.

“Wow, that was a good shot,” L yelped a bit. “That’s terrifying.”

It was completely insane to be laughing right then, but Light was.

They spiraled further and further, slowly approaching the bottom floor while a small barrage of ceiling tiles was shot at around them. What were they even going to do if they caught up? Light realized horrifically that they were severely outnumbered, and his stomach flipped.

“Did anyone ever call for backup?” Light begged.

Takada and her guards turned into a hallway instead of continuing down the stairs. L and Light both swore in aggravation.

“Takada entered into a hallway. I suspect they’re either heading for the southwest stairwell or the elevator,” L informed them.

“Local PD will be here in about two minutes,” Near spoke up. “I called and hurried them up from our original plans as soon as Misa complained about the taste of her tea.”

“Get an ambulance here, too,” Light panted out. “Misa is unconscious in Takada’s room.”

L burst through the door into the hallway recklessly, and Light briefly wondered if he would see L shot. Would he have to watch L get hurt? Watch him die? Watch everything Light cared about crumble away?

His fears were answered as L slammed open the southwest stairwell door, and a loud pop rushed through Light’s ears.

L crumpled.


	21. Not To Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's been a shot fired, and it found its target. Light makes a decision then and there over what he wants and what he actually values, while Takada continues her escape route out of the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the weird posting time! I'm going to be out of town this weekend, so I'm spending the rest of the week getting ready for that. This is really part 2 of the previous chapter, so I'm sorry for the shortness of it! Thank you so so much for reading this far, and if you like Beyond and Naomi and demons, go check out my other fic _Fire Fight_!

The worst moment of Light’s entire life had been from when he was a small child. He’d gotten separated from his mother at the mall, in a clothing store, and he had remembered the way he had hidden under a rack of clothes and sobbed. He hated separation, hated knowing people die, people leave, and he hated how vulnerable all humans were. The fear of others leaving was something he suspected was universal deep down, and Light was definitely human, no matter how much he almost wished he wasn’t.

L was so startlingly human. He almost took his humanity in stride, something Light admired even if he didn’t want to admit it. Hell, L was able to drag the humanity out of Light, no matter how hard Light tried to keep it down, and how was Light expected to not fall for that?

And now, he was living the worst moment of his life, and L was gasping for air.

Desperation and anger were two deeply intertwined emotions for him, and even more so in that moment.

Light didn’t feel any remorse as he pulled his gun from it’s holster. She deserved to die. What was she contributing to the world anyways? What was she other than a criminal? Than scum? Absolutely nothing, he decided. She didn’t matter. Someone needed to remove her, so why not him?

Taking a life felt much lighter than it should’ve, but he couldn’t find it in him to care.

The blood spilled out of her neck quickly, and Light’s arms screamed from the rigidity required for holding a weapon. Lines of glass and stitches burned scars into his arm and veins, and his pulse beat loudly in his ears before he turned to L once more.

His knees screamed as he slammed down beside L, his hand immediately checking L’s pulse. It beat, heavily, and Light nearly cried from relief.

“That… That hurt,” L gasped. “Quite… a bit... “

“L!” Light begged. “L! Are you okay?”

There was no blood, thank god. The bulletproof vest took most of the hit. A high pitched whine sounded in Light’s ears, and he crashed back to earth.

“I think I broke a rib,” L wheezed. “Or two.”

“Damnit, L!” Light looked around at it again before sighing. “You better not have punctured a lung or I swear I’ll… I’ll kill you. I’ll fucking kill you.”

“I hope not.” L winced horrifically as he breathed, before he looked at Light critically. “That’d be very inconvenient.”

“Shut up,” Light told him. “I’m calling an ambulance.”

“No,” L said as he weakly tried to push Light away. “Go after them-”

“The officers should be outside by now,” Light shoved aside. “I’m staying here.”

“The case is more important. Catching Takada is more important,” L tried again, and Light pushed him back down a bit more firmly.

Light shook his head a bit as L wheezed on the floor. He knew better than to try to move him. He knew better than to do several things he wanted to do then, but Light settled for gently brushing the hair out of L’s face and watched slim eyebrows come together. Long lashes kissed ivory skin, and Light held L’s hand firmly.

“It’s not more important to _me_ ,” Light declared softly. L’s eyes fluttered. “I don’t care about that right now.”

L didn’t respond. He didn’t really seem to be able to, really. Light didn’t know where the words had come from himself, a quiet and heavy feeling shaking him to his very core. Something that had been building horrifically and steadily, turning him to mush.

“Rest,” Light told him. “We’ll leave the rest to the others.”

Light kissed his cheek softly, before signaling out that they needed an ambulance.

~~

She’d done it. She’d done it. She was going to get away with it, even if she had originally intended a hostage. Her new drug was much too potent, and had too much taste apparently, but she’d have plenty of time to perfect it elsewhere. Those two detectives weren’t hot on their trails anymore, and all she had to do was make it to their car.

There was almost a glee in her step as she bounded down some more stairs, the sweet taste of victory filling her mouth. They were idiots. They were both idiots. No one ever suspects the woman. Ever.

And they lost for it.

The end goal was coming into sight. Just beyond the main lobby was the car waiting for her, and she saw the door ahead. She started rushing a bit more, her relief at almost being out driving her a bit faster, a bit more rushed-

Takada threw open the door to the main lobby and shrieked as she nearly slammed into orange goggles and a cigarette. Smoke was huffed out into her face, and she stopped heavily, Lily almost running into her behind her.

“How disgusting!” she coughed.

He adjusted his vest and tossed his cigarette down onto the floor and stomped it out as she finally processed the officers behind him, guns trained on her and the doorway. Ice flooded her bones and her mind.

“Hey there,” the guy drawled. “Wanna do this the easy way or the hard way?”

They were outnumbered nearly two to one. She wanted to scream, wanted to cry, as she saw her car outside, beautiful and shining. Unregistered and unmarked, it waited for her like a beautiful carriage there to take her to the ball.

But she wasn’t Cinderella.

She was so arrogant. She’d lost.

“Easy,” she broke. Her limbs screamed and her chest hurt. “Don’t shoot.”

He had the audacity to take another cigarette out and light it before he pulled out some handcuffs. He motioned for the others to come closer.

“Kiyomi Takada,” he said cheerfully, “you’re under arrest for drug trafficking, drug possession, attempted kidnapping, and resisting arrest. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…”

The click of the handcuffs sounded like a bell in her ears.

~~

A few broken ribs was a small price to pay, in the long run. His recklessness could have gotten him killed, and he could’ve gotten Light killed, but he decided to blame the frustration on the pain. Eventually the pain meds would kick in, but they hadn’t just yet.

He watched Matsuda speak with Matt, both of them seeming to be relieved the other was okay. A cigarette hung out of Matt’s mouth, betraying how frightened Matt had been, even as he spoke to Matsuda and soon Mello near their van. Near leaned out the window and joined them a moment later, and L was relieved.

The most relieving, however, was Light, who was directing the body bag the coroner was rolling out. Anger was set firmly in his face, and a deep disgust seemed to radiate off of him as he looked down at it, something catching at L’s lungs. There wasn’t any humanity in Light’s eyes, and God, Light had shot someone. Light had killed someone. For L.

L loved him.

It was too prevalent in his head to deny. When Light had thrown away the case, thrown away the victory for him, L had known with absolute certainty. Misa had been right, her quiet words too true in L’s life for him to fathom. It was unfair the things that Light did to his head, unfair what he did to his heart, and he could only hope that one day, he’d have Light just as hooked.

And somehow, he thought he maybe might.

At the thought of Misa, he really did worry. No one knew what she had been given besides Takada. She wasn’t waking up, either, and they’d rushed her to the hospital, L nearly along with her except he’d forcibly stayed there. He had a bandage on but not much more.

L jolted a bit as Watari sat down beside him, a small smile on his face. L smiled back at him.

“We lived,” Watari said. “And caught the criminal.”

“Yes, we did,” L said proudly. “And I broke several ribs.”

“Do _not_ remind me,” Watari sighed. “Scared Light half to death, too.”

It was then that L realized everyone had heard, over their earpieces, and his ears burned. He coughed painfully. “He was very concerned, though for no real reason. I had a vest.”

“The boy loves you,” Watari admonished. “Of course he was worried.”

L took such a severe breath that he made himself flinch with how much it hurt. He gripped at his ribs as he coughed and wheezed, and Watari, that bastard, just calmly watched him do it all.

“Watari,” L began. “Let’s not be so hasty.”

“As hasty as saying I think you should consider moving here?” Watari asked.

“Yes,” L wheezed. “That.”

Watari hummed before he tilted his head a bit and let L catch his breath. There was a long moment of silence before Watari sighed again.

“You left a mark for once here,” he said quietly. “Made connections. Friends. You’ve never done that anywhere else, L.”

Suspicion and anxiety rose up in L quickly, and he looked to Watari harshly. “And what brought this up?”

He looked to L so softly, L suddenly and ferociously remembered the day he had gone home from school and cried over how the other kids hated him. Watari had smiled at him in just the same way, the soft lines of something paternal touching him.

“I’ve decided to retire,” Watari said. “Hearing my own son being shot was a bit too much for me, I’m afraid.”

Silence fell over them gently, something in L clicking almost painfully throughout his heart. It made him want to cry a bit for some absurd reason. He tried to swallow it down quickly, but he was failing desperately.

Watari was leaving.

“I’m sorry,” L croaked.

“For what?” Watari asked. “Being shot wasn’t your fault.”

He didn’t know what for. Some part of him thought back to what he had said to Light once, about Watari and fatherhood, and he burned with shame. He felt heavy and cold yet this lungs were on fire.

“I don’t know,” L lied.

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Watari told him. He paused before he chuckled a bit. “After all, who will bring home a grandchild to me?”

L sniffed quietly, unable to hold it in anymore. He felt heavy, and he was crashing from adrenaline, and Watari was leaving. He was taking his bow.

“It’s the pain,” L said stupidly. “I’m in pain.”

Watari put a hand on his shoulder gently. It was comforting, and painful, and Watari cleared his throat shakily.

“Of course,” Watari warbled. “It must be intense.”

Elation and pain and fear were too much. It was all too much.

L, for the first time in too long, accepted that some things needed to end.


	22. Plea Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takada continues to not shock them by accepting the plea deal, and L himself does the questioning. Pinning down Ross, though, continues to be a nightmare to achieve, since the world at large is frightened by him. Misa wakes up, and L and Light have an important discussion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter... Wow. This is surreal for me! I will be posting the final chapter later this week, and I will have something long and heartfelt for that note, I promise. For now, I'm just... In shock. As always, feel free to check out my other works and to come bother me on Tumblr and Twitter! And enjoy the explicitness!

Kiyomi Takada sat in a somehow dignified way despite wearing handcuffs. The contents of her bags were spilled across the table before her, and it was quite the sight to see for Light. Several journals full of notes on dealings and transactions sat in front of L, Takada’s cell phone was there, and an unidentified drug made an appearance. Light had never seen a human being quite as fucked as Takada was, but he supposed there was a first for everything.

“I will be taking the plea deal,” Takada said as her lawyer nodded. “I will cooperate with you in exchange for the lightened charges.”

The formality she said it with rubbed Light the wrong way. L looked at her blandly before he nodded, and waved his hand vaguely. His legs were down, his broken ribs not allowing his usual pose.

“As expected,” L replied. “I’m going to ask you questions about Rod Ross, and yourself.”

She nodded again, and her lawyer leaned back, relieved that she took the plea, clearly. Light almost felt bad for her, except she was a defense attorney.

“What are you, professionally?” L asked. She sighed through her nose.

“An… Entrepreneur,” Takada said. “I had many people who worked for me while I provided the goods for my consumers.”

“A glorified dealer, understood,” L dismissed. She frowned at that. “And how did you get into this?”

“Ross sent a man to intimidate the mayor. He was impressed that the man couldn’t even get past me, so he offered to help me achieve my goals in life,” Takada said diplomatically.

“I heard he offered you more than that,” L snarked, and Takada drew her brows together. “Was the mayor ever involved?”

“No,” she pinched out. “He’s a moron. I did more of his job than he ever did.”

“Not well enough, apparently,” L shot. “You were fired later.”

“I established ties in the office for... certain interested parties,” she snarled. “I did plenty.”

“In what way did you do that?”

“I introduced him to the right people,” she evaded. “I helped him do some networking within some of the most powerful circles in the city.”

“Care to elaborate?” L drawled. She shot him a nasty glare.

 

“No,” she said. “I don’t have a death wish.”

Light had expected as much. Pinning down Ross was like trying to pin down a sumo wrestler. He had too much power and influence, and Light took some comfort in the fact that they had at least taken down a large part of his empire. They could also convict him of _something_ for once with Takada's books, too.

“Pity,” L sighed. “You’ve dashed my hopes and dreams.”

“Shame,” Takada sneered. “You have all of my books. You know exactly what I’ve done. I don’t believe I need to explain any further?”

“Well,” L hummed, “we do need to know what you gave Misa and why. If she doesn’t wake up, we will be filing murder charges as well.”

L’s tone was dark and dangerous. Light had thought that he was possibly the scariest person at any given time in any given room, but L could flip that switch immediately on and off with an efficiency that was frightening. It was also more than a little bit of a turn on, but he also recognized how inappropriate it was.

“It’s my take on rohypnol,” Takada said. “It was a bit more effective than I had hoped.”

“Do explain,” L said as he gestured a bit. Takada looked disgusted by him for a moment, and Light wanted to end her.

“It was supposed to have been less obvious,” she muttered. “Firstly, she was given too much. The taste was too obvious, and Misa fell asleep too quickly. I knew she would be able to alert you something was wrong, and was forced to suddenly speed up my plans. So they… Failed.”

“Yes, didn’t they?” L looked so bland, and Light promised himself that he would never upset L. He was legitimately frightened of what he saw. “And how did you know Misa was working for us by then?”

“I bugged her phone,” Takada said simply. “She was Detective Yagami’s friend. I hoped he would eventually tell her something, and I was right.”

“And you used whatever this is, correct?” L pointed to the drug. “Whatever this is is what you used on Misa?”

“Yes,” Takada muttered. “It is.”

L nodded slowly and looked through the various things on the table before he sighed.

“You lost,” L announced. “You thought you were so clever, and you lost. How does that feel?”

As Takada started angrily sputtering, Light attempted to keep his sigh in. He should’ve known L would be a dick about this. He just wanted to go home by that point, his brain and body tired from reading through her coded journals all day. It’d taken them quite a while to crack them.

“What?” Takada finally angrily huffed. “Excuse you-”

“We’re done here, unless you want to tell us about Ross,” L said coldly. “But otherwise, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Light sighed one more time for good measure as he exited out into the hallway.

~~

All she saw was white. Everything was white, and bright, and as she blinked her eyes drowsily, she also realized that there were posters on the walls telling her about diabetes and the dangers of unprotected sex.

Misa took a moment to even try to fathom where she was as she saw several others in the room with her, all of their eyes on her and shit, did she even know any of these people? Oh, yes, she did.

Light was beside her, Ryuzaki at her feet, and a doctor and a nurse at her other side. She blinked a greeting to each one while her throat burned and begged for water. As if Light were a psychic, he passed her a small plastic cup that was ice cold and beautiful.

“Good afternoon, Miss Amane,” the doctor greeted. “I’m glad you’re awake.”

She took a long gulp and almost sobbed from how much it relieved her system. It was absolutely glorious for a brief moment, and she had never had such good water. She handed the cup back to Light who smiled at her before she turned to the doctor.

“How long was I asleep?” she croaked out.

“About three days,” Ryuzaki muttered. “Give or take a few hours.”

“Three days?” Shock registered in her, but not for long. Like much else for her at that moment, everything was slipping away just out of reach. “I must be a mess.”

“You look fine,” Light reassured.

“Her vitals are all stable,” the doctor said to the nurse. “How are you feeling, Miss?”

“Heavy,” Misa said. “And hungry. I think?”

“We expected as much. Don’t worry, lunch will be brought around shortly,” the doctor said. “Do you have any allergies we should be aware of?”

“No.” She shook her head a bit. The doctor nodded and left for the moment with his chart, and some part of her realized he was probably adding it to her records or speaking with other nurses about her. Another part of her hoped she didn’t get too much jello in her food.

Memories of what had been the last things she saw came back to her with a sudden ferocity, and a panic struck her without warning. She gasped. 

“What happened to Takada?” she asked quickly.

“Well, we caught her,” Light said calmingly. “Thanks to your help.”

“She’s going to jail,” Ryuuzaki added in. “For a while.”

“But she drugged me,” Misa panicked. “I didn’t get in the way, right? I didn’t make it any harder?”

“No, of course not,” Light soothed. “And I swear. You were super vital to catching her.”

Something about it made her relax a bit. Light attempting to calm anyone was rare, and she let herself just enjoy that he was willing to do that for her. It was nice to know that he did care, on some level.

“What did she do to me?” Misa asked finally, and Light shifted a bit.

“You overdosed on an experimental drug related to rohypnol,” Ryuzaki answered for him. “We’re still not exactly sure what’s in it but we do know you were given... Quite a bit.”

“Oh.” Misa watched Ryuzaki for a long moment as he blinked blandly back. He seemed tense, even if she didn't know why. “Are you okay, by the way? You seem off.”

“I have some broken ribs,” Ryuzaki waved off. The tension in his body only amplified as he moved to sit. He didn’t pull his legs up, and Misa frowned. “I will need a little while to recover.”

“Me too,” she said back. Her stomach growled at her angrily, and she shrugged as much as she could. “And I need Burger King.”

“... _What_?” Light sputtered.

“Their vanilla shake is truly wonderful,” the other one said. “Add a bit extra sugar and it’s quite the delight.”

“I want their fries,” she sniffed. “But I could go for coffee right now, too.”

“Wait, hold on,” Light puttered. “You just woke up-”

“Do you want me to ask Watari to bring some?” Ryuuzaki asked as he pulled out his phone. “Or perhaps Matsuda?”

“Hello?” Light groaned. “Is anyone listening to me here?”

“Matsuda, please,” Misa said firmly. “I need to make sure all of my boys are alive. And mostly unhurt.”

“Misa, you might not be able to keep it down yet-”

Ryuzaki was tapping his phone at alarming speeds. She let herself smile a bit as Light gave up with a sigh, and he dropped his face into his hands.

“Whatever, I guess,” Light sighed out.

“Do you want anything?” Ryuzaki asked him then, and Light looked up just to glare.

“No, I don’t want anythi-”

“Get him some chicken nuggets,” Misa cut him off. “He gets hangry when he isn’t fed.”

There was a long moment before Light finally gave up this fight, too, and let himself just slump into his seat a bit further. He couldn’t stop the tidal wave that was her and Ryuzaki agreeing on something, and she found herself giggling as Light at least tried once more to convince her to change her mind.

“Fine,” he gave up. Defeat wasn’t a good look on him, but Misa also found it hilarious. “Get me some fucking chicken nuggets.”

Misa laughed until Matsuda arrived.

~~

If he were able to think, in that moment, perhaps he would have. If anything beyond the realm of Light fucking Yagami, and _fucking Light Yagami_ , even existed, he didn’t register it in the slightest. Nothing mattered beyond the hand in his hair, the hand on his chest, and the man on top of him.

He certainly had pictured something a bit more generic and more missionary-like for their first time, but this was _fucking Light Yagami_ , so he supposed being ridden really was just par for the course. After all, Light would never have let him have something even resembling full control, and L still had a few pesky broken ribs.

They didn’t hurt then, even if he knew they’d be burning in just a few minutes. He was much too lost in the pleasure, and the ecstasy, and _fucking Light Yagami_ to be in pain, unless there was such a thing as the pain of having too much pleasure. He was probably supposed to be more concerned about his performance, honestly, than he was, but Light was breathing so heavily and muttering his name that he supposed he was doing something right.

“ _Fuck_ ,” L gasped out. “ _Light_.”

They had so much to talk about, so much to establish, but for a few minutes more, he didn’t want any words. Hell, it might not even be a few minutes more at this rate, not when he had been a virgin, and not when this was so slow and torturous.

Light was stunningly beautiful, his chest a pink and his face a scarlet. The same bar of red L had seen dust Light’s cheeks several times over took on a new meaning and was the hottest thing L had ever seen, and he knew that if he looked too long, he’d burst. Light’s hair was a wreck from L himself, and if he looked at it too long, he was going to burst.

Fuck, he was just going to orgasm soon, and anything was probably going to tip him over.

Light’s hand that had been in L’s hair joined its twin on L’s chest, careful of his ribs even now, and L, for the life of him, couldn’t remember where his own hands had gone. He thought they were perhaps on Light’s hips, but they could have been any number of other places.

Light hissed, not from pain, and ah. One of L’s hands was on Light’s dick.

But where was the other one? It was the wrong moment to think of Carmen Sandiego, but his right hand was somewhere in the bed, and it could have gained legs and walked out and L wouldn’t have noticed. Not when Light slid down, and the slide of Light over L’s dick made his entire brain a hazy mess.

Who cared about his hand when he felt like he was coiling, tightening, building towards something absolutely indescribable? When Light was starting to tighten with him, and he really was losing his mind?

He felt like he’d tossed his brains out somewhere, and like the bastard hand, he’d have to find it again afterwards. At least he didn’t have to find his voice, which was working so very well, nor did he have to find Light’s hands that scraped nails into the part of his chest not under wraps.

“I think I’m about to-!”

“I know.”

It only took a few more pushes, a few more slides in, before something in him popped, and he felt euphoria rushing through his veins and stealing everything he had with it. His voice seemed to reach out again to Light, and God, Light accepted it.

It was pride he felt, for sure, when Light wasn’t long after him, the condom Light had the forethought to use catching the mess of cum that for sure would have wrecked L’s bandages. Light didn’t call out, didn’t do much other than sigh, but the same tense relief took him, and it was louder than any words he could have said.

Oh, his hand had been on Light’s hip. He very much hoped Light wouldn’t mind the bruise forming there, even if it pleased L way too much.

“You’re gorgeous,” L panted out as Light tried and failed to make his legs move. “Absolutely gorgeous.”

“And you’re loud,” Light said back as finally, one of his legs pulled over L, and he collapsed beside him.

A few fumbling moments of cleaning ensued, mostly consisting of Light meandering around somewhat shakily, and L not doing much of anything. Only after both condoms were thrown away and L’s chest started to burn did Light return, and he dropped back next to L.

“Is it bad that I’m loud?” L asked the moment Light rejoined him. The need to know burned in him, or perhaps it was his broken bones. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Do I actually have to answer that?” Light sighed out. “Or was me getting off not enough?”

That was true, he supposed. That pride and satisfaction came back full throttle as Light draped a possessive arm around L’s waist, and like the idiot he felt like in that moment, he told the voice in his head to shut it, he was good, they had a good time.

“I’m not a virgin anymore,” L found himself blurting out. “I never thought that would happen.”

He could feel Light’s smile against his shoulder and the way the bed shook a bit as Light laughed. Slowly, L’s brain was returning in baby steps, and he realized what he was saying.

“Oh, that was aloud,” L coughed.

“Let me know when you want pain meds, by the way,” Light chuckled out, “so we don’t accidentally kill you.”

“How do you have any brains right now?” L hurdled on. “I have no brains.”

What a stupid thing to have said. Light laughed harder at that, before L tried to scoot away from him in retaliation. It made Light pause for a brief moment to groan.

“No,” Light whined softly. L found a laugh of his own bubbling out of him. “It’s just your first time. It’s a bit overwhelming.”

Oh, L liked the sound of that “first time” phrase.

If he’d been asked prior to actually sleeping with Light, he would’ve guessed Light to be someone who didn’t enjoy cuddling immediately after. In fact, he would’ve thought Light was someone who wanted as much space as possible after such a horrific display of vulnerability, but maybe, L was just an exception, or so he thought fancifully.

“I _had_ been trying to say something before you very _rudely_ decided to interrupt me,” L said as Light’s breath rushed over his neck. “And now I don’t remember. You’ve ruined me.”

“I’m so sorry for sleeping with you.” Light grumbled. “And all I remember is you saying something about Virginia, I think?”

Virginia? Why was L talking about- oh. That’s right. It’d been important, and L prepared himself a bit before he cleared his throat.

“I’m flying back soon,” L remembered. “My flight is in another week.”

Light’s fingers curled harshly, his nails scraping along L’s hip bone, and he jolted. He looked at Light to say something, but Light was looking down, and L suddenly felt like he shouldn’t say anything.

“Oh.” L didn’t need his brains fully to know that Lights tone was dark and slower than usual. “I see.”

“They’re requiring me back,” L vomited, “since we’re not bringing Ross down this time.”

His brain was still too sluggish to take in everything and neatly determine an emotion. Was Light mad? No, it wasn’t anger, or at least he didn’t think it was. His goblin of a brain decided this was the time to pipe up, and God, L wished it hadn’t.

What if Light didn’t want him there?

“Well, I guess I’m not too shocked,” Light said eventually. L blinked. “You have to go home at some point. I mean, you can’t stay here forever.” The tone made L’s heart race painfully, and he tried to blame it on the ribs, but panic settled heavily into him. He swallowed down some of it unsuccessfully.

“Am I not going to fly out to see you?” L asked quickly. “As often as humanly possible?”

There wasn’t a response at first. Light liked making every nerve in L’s body go into overdrive, didn’t he? Not responding was the exact last thing L had wanted, but Light was totally silent for what felt like forever. It was horrible to wait so long.

“How often is humanly possible?” Light eventually asked.

It was amazing how quickly adrenaline cleared up L’s hazy brain. He sputtered for a moment. “Weekends- as many as you… As you’d want me for.”

He wasn’t used to such declarations, at least, not when they were on purpose. No wonder Light would blush so much, L thought, as Light started drawing a pattern on his skin once more. This really was its own form of torture, wasn’t it? Dear Lord, why couldn’t this man ever give him an immediate answer?

“Sometimes I should fly out there,” Light strained out. “I’d like to see where you live.”

He didn’t need to look at Light to know he was blushing, but L did it anyways. He couldn’t have stopped himself, not when he needed so badly to see the confirmation of what he’d heard written in the pink of the moment. Light’s eyes fluttered a bit.

“I-It’s only fair,” Light flustered around. “Don’t you think?”

“You’re stunning,” L told him. “Just perfect.”

Light didn’t seem to have any response, not then, anyways, and L found it to be the most adorable thing about him this time. The bashful silence was something L was never going to be willing to give up, he knew that for certain, even if he wanted the tense silence to go away.

“I’m glad Takada decided to sell drugs,” L said quietly. “Is that weird?”

Light wheezed horrifically, laughter being ripped out of his chest as L tried to contain his smile.

“With how you are?” Light gasped out. “That’s the most normal thing you’ve ever said.”

L joined in his laughter.


	23. About A Year Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life after the case has moved on. Life has moved forward, specifically, and they've all moved forward with it. And L faces one last challenge with Light before L can really say he's done all of the dating things that people go through with their partners.

“Matsuda,” Light huffed. “There better be a good reason for waking me up.”

It was too early for this. Light tried to move around a bit to get his arm free from the death grip it was in so he could politely take the call outside, but he was trapped. A glance at his clock told him it was about six in the morning, and he didn’t need to be awake yet, damnit. He wanted to sleep.

“Light!” Matsuda shrieked. “So, uh, I’m having some car troubles-”

“Oh god damnit,” Light groaned. “Seriously? Get a new car.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Matsuda huffed. “Your boyfriend’s a gazillionaire. Unlike you, I have to work for all I get.”

“So do I,” Light reminded him. “Unless you’re implying something, Matsuda.”

The soft snores from beside him were slowly drifting into silence, and Light sighed through his nose as Matsuda sputtered around like an idiot. He didn’t care as he gently let his fingers get irreparably stuck in black tangles and knots.

“So, what I mean is, that, uh, I didn’t mean it like that, and-”

“I don’t really fucking care,” Light groaned. “Get a fucking Lyft. Hell, call Matt. We’ve been over this.”

“But, Light! I really hate taking Lyft, and Matt isn’t answering! And don’t you dare suggest Mello after he nearly got us all killed-!”

Light’s phone was snatched away between spindly fingers and held up like it was infected. L sighed into the receiver as he held it, and Light heard Matsuda continue to rant even if he couldn’t hear exactly what he was saying.

“Matsuda,” L grumbled. “Please shut up.”

Light snorted loudly, and L rolled over and pressed his head into Light’s shoulder drowsily. Matsuda continued to say something Light couldn’t hear.

“Call Matt,” L muttered. Some more noise from the receiver, and L huffed. “Then call Mello. I’m sure he’d be fine getting you. Just shut up.”

There was another pause as L listened to Matsuda say something.

"Near doesn't like driving," L puffed out. "This isn't my problem."

“You’re just as mean as Light!” was quite clear and audible from the phone, even to Light himself. L blinked wearily.

“I’m tired,” L emphasized. “I’ll even pay for your Lyft if you’ll hang up.”

Matsuda was saying something rapidly and angrily, but L remained just as grumbly as before. He grumbled something every now and then to possibly questions, but Light wasn’t trying to listen closely. Eventually, L’s arm drooped a bit away from his face, and he sighed.

“Goodbye now, Matsuda,” L suddenly cut in.

“Wait-!’

And L hung up on him, before looking at Light more fully. 

Amusement lit up Light’s face as L tried to get his hair out of his eyes without raising his arms. A laugh escaped him as L failed.

“Good morning,” L rumbled slowly. “I’m shocked you’re awake.”

“I’m shocked you’re not,” Light shot back. “But Matsuda has almost a caffeine-like quality to him. He and Misa are alike like that.”

L hummed before scooting closer, his forehead touching Light’s chest. “And you’re a sleep aid. You tire me out.”

A chuckle racked Light’s body as his arms, without his permission, wrapped L up and pulled him closer. L’s own arm took residence on Light’s waist, slotting against his hip bone like it belonged there, as Light was convinced it did.

“I have to get ready for work,” Light muttered into L’s hair hypocritically. “And you need to make sure the apartment’s clean for later.”

L grumbled something incoherent, and Light huffed.

“I can’t hear you,” Light said. “You’re mumbling again. I can’t hear your mumbles.”

L looked up, a single eye looking at him from beneath a mess.

“I said you’re going to be late,” L repeated.

And somehow, Light fully believed him.

~~

He was going to die. That was an absolute certainty, and L stared down at the splotch on the floor that wouldn’t go away no matter what he did. It bothered him to no end, scared him to no end, and he knew, deep down, he was fucked.

He didn’t know why Light insisted they couldn’t get a cleaner, but now he was regretting not getting one without telling him.

He didn’t know shit about cleaning. He didn’t know fuck all about how to get stains out of floorboards. And he certainly didn’t know jack about how to be polite or charming or sociable.

He tugged at the hair he’d pulled back into a ponytail in some attempt to appear presentable, and fuck, should he have just cut it all off? It’d certainly grown in the time he’d known Light, and was it a terrible length? Would cutting it have been better? Were his clothes okay? Watari had bought him this flannel, after Light had complained how unfashionable L was, but was this actually even fashionable?

The clock ticked to just past seven o’clock, and L swallowed heavily.

He had maybe five minutes before his certain doom. He decided that he would not die with a swiffer in his hand, no matter how much it looked like a sword. He’d much rather die with a pen instead, so he gave up and tried to find Light’s fancy fountain pen instead.

The key word, of course, being tried, and he sulked when he failed.

He tugged at his hair again for good measure, the back of his neck itching from anxiety and fear with a heaping dose of his hair being _too fucking long_ , and he tried and failed to calm his nerves with a Jolly Rancher. Why was it always his hair for him?

The hellhounds started to howl, and L heard them. The bells got louder and louder as they approached, and L nearly swallowed his Jolly Rancher whole.

“This one, Father,” Light was saying just outside the front door. “This is it.”

Mr. Yagami was going to strangle L for a great deal of things, least of all L sleeping with his son. If anything, the stain near the door was going to get him at least decked, and then L’s ridiculously long hair was going to cement the execution of L Lawliet.

The front door opened, and L came closer to try to seem like a host. He probably looked more like a ghost haunting the property, but it was much too late now.

Mr. Yagami and Mrs. Yagami were exactly like the photographs that sat on the end table next to the couch. The only possible difference was that Mrs. Yagami had a few more wrinkles, and Mr. Yagami looked more fucking intimidating than God himself. Both of them assessed him, but only Mr. Yagami sized him up.

“Father, Mother, this is L,” Light introduced softly.

“Mr. and Mrs. Yagami,” L greeted as he dropped the hand that had come up automatically. He bowed instead. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh! Dear, and you as well,” Mrs. Yagami said warmly as she bowed back. “We’ve heard so much about you! But Light didn’t properly convey how handsome you are! And that you speak Japanese!”

Light went a bright red before stepping further into the apartment after removing his shoes. L watched in horror as Mr. Yagami stopped and looked at the stain.

“I learned it at a young age,” L told her quickly. Mr. Yagami ran a foot over the stain and L nearly sobbed. “I have an interest in languages.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Mr. Yagami finally echoed, and L nearly leapt out of his skin. “You have a nice place, here.”

“That’s not thanks to me, honestly,” L replied. Mr. Yagami looked around critically, and L sped on. “I have no eye for decorating.”

“But then who did?” Mr. Yagami asked, and L’s eyes flew to Light as several realizations hit him hard in the chest. He nearly had a heart attack right then and there. “Light’s apartment isn’t as nice as this, I remember.”

“Father,” Light began. He cleared his throat. “This is my apartment.”

A long moment passed before both parents moved from polite awkwardness to shock. L heard the bells ring even louder in his head.

“My apologies,” Mr. Yagami grunted as he shifted. “I knew you were dating, but I didn’t know you were living together. I had thought it was odd we were going to be staying at his partner’s place, but...”

“There was no offense,” L reassured with lightning speed. “I’m sure it just hadn’t come up yet.”

Awkward silence fell over the group in a way that told L that Light likely had told them at one point, but that he’d said it in that obtuse way of his and they hadn’t gotten it until literally two minutes ago. He could empathize very thoroughly with them.

Light, perhaps realizing the same thing, cleared his throat and motioned for his parents to follow him further into the room. L was highly grateful as Light directed them as to where the restroom was and where to put their bags, as well as what each room was. They both seemed appreciative of the guest bedroom, at the very least.

L followed behind awkwardly, and contributed very little to the tour. Mrs. Yagami praised their home greatly and with frequency, while Mr. Yagami mostly remained silent.

L was so going to die.

“We hadn’t prepared dinner,” Light was saying. “L and I both had work to do today, so we’ll need to either go out or do something else.”

“Whatever is easiest for you, sweetie,” Mrs. Yagami replied.

“What do you work as?” Mr. Yagami asked as he turned to L. In his head, L marked it as the beginning of the interrogation, and he tried to subtly check his heart rate.

“I work for the FBI,” L somehow got out calmly. “I transferred to their Los Angeles office.”

“Oh,” Mr. Yagami intoned. He nodded firmly, and L realized he’d just gotten a plus one. It was so pathetic of him to be proud of that, but he totally was. “I myself work for the NPA. Where did you previously work?”

“Virginia, sir. I was Richmond P.D. before that. I moved here two months ago.”

L looked to Light for comfort, and he was frightened to his core by Light leading his mother to sit on a sofa in the living room. They were speaking animatedly, and Light was a bright red.

“Mother!” Light was exclaiming.

“He’s so handsome- look at that facial structure! And a cop! You really _are_ my son,” Mrs. Yagami was saying back. “You always did take after me more.”

“Mother, please,” Light begged. “Please no.”

“He must be a _vision_ in a suit,” she continued. Light looked horrified as she smiled at him. “Make sure he wears something well-fitted when you two finally decide to get married.”

“ _Mother_!”

L and Mr. Yagami both caught each other awkwardly trying to ignore the louder pair in the other room, and they both coughed.

“How did you and Light meet?” Mr. Yagami said as he drew L back to their conversation. They were at the entrance to the hallway, between the living room and the bedrooms, and L tried to inch a bit closer to Light. Mr. Yagami appeared to be doing something similar with Mrs. Yagami, but neither of them commented on it.

“I was assigned to a case in his precinct about a year and a half ago.” Mr. Yagami gave another firm nod, and L swallowed down some of his nerves.

“I remember Light having told us a little about it. He’d complained about a man he was working with once in an email to us.”

“Yes, I annoyed him until he liked me,” L word vomited. “Although, it might actually have been the other way around.”

Mr. Yagami did not laugh, and L felt the sheer shame and horror of a failing comedian.

“That’s nice,” Mr. Yagami said eventually. L winced. “What was the case about?”

“Drugs,” L quickly responded. “With ties to the mafia. It was an exciting case, in more ways than one, I suppose.”

Mr. Yagami didn’t make any sort of comment on that, and L didn’t know what else to say. He panicked inside as he thought through what had just come out of his mouth and how potentially inappropriate it had been. He was about to word vomit some dumbass apology when he was shown mercy by God.

“L, I would love to hear more about you!” Mrs. Yagami saved. Light looked ready to die as she waved L over. “Come tell me everything!”

L bolted as fast as he reasonably could.

~~

“At the very least, my mother likes you,” Light said quietly. A room over, Father was snoring, and loudly, in a way that made L jolt every time. Light frowned heavily. “In fact, she likes you a bit too much.”

“I think your father is going to kill me,” L croaked. “I really am going to be shot to death.”

Whatever L and his father had talked about had apparently left quite the impression on L. Knowing his father, though, made Light know that his father had been trying to give just as good of an impression on L as vice versa.

Except L was failing where his father was doing at least alright. It had nothing to do with L, though, and was entirely caused by Father’s high standards.

“He seems to tolerate you,” Light hedged. He put a soothing hand on L’s shoulder and frowned more when L flinched. “Which is better than expected. He’s just overprotective.”

“I did better than the curve. I am overjoyed,” L said blandly.

“He hated Sayu’s last boyfriend,” Light comforted. Sayu’s last boyfriend had been a disaster, and Light held in the sympathetic wince. “And you’re doing better than him, for sure.”

L groaned and chewed a bit harder on his thumb, and a deep look of worry marred his face. Light sighed heavily before pulling L’s thumb away from his mouth when he saw the first signs of blood.

“It’s a step in the right direction, and that’s what matters,” Light said. “He’s going to at least be fine with you by the end of the week, I promise.”

L tried to pull his thumb back to his mouth nervously, but Light held firm..

“And when we tell them that I put in my two week’s notice to go into private eye work?” L challenged.

Light hesitated. He could lie to L, but he knew he’d see through it. He weighed his options quickly.

“Well… I’ll write something very beautiful to say at your funeral,” Light told him.

L covered his face with his hands and groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god. This is... This is it. The last chapter. The epilogue. I'm in shock, but I also feel so so proud of having made it here, finally. And now, it's time for me to give one last thank you for this fic.
> 
> Thank you, all of you who have read this far, or commented, or left Kudos. Thank you all so, so much, and I really can't convey how much it's meant to me. This really wouldn't have been possible without all of you.
> 
> I started this as a means to let out some creativity and as a means to help me with my depression while I was going through applying to grad school, and I'm so fucking glad I did. This has been so much fun, and don't worry! I'll be writing more! I'm just a little emotional at finishing this fic. A lot of time went into it, and it's all done! I'm really just excited to see what I write next for Lawlight!
> 
> So thank you all again. Really. Thank you.
> 
> -sidehoryuuzaki


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